As Time Goes By
by fringeperson
Summary: Spoilers for pretty much all of YYH. Do NOT own. Rated for violence and emotional stuff. Kagome decided she'd had enough of InuYasha running off to Kikyo, so she put a definitive end to it. What came after, no one quite expected. Even her. KagomexKurama
1. Chapter 1

"You know what, Kikyo?" Kagome said as she walked in on the woman holding InuYasha in her arms. Again.

"Have you come for him? He won't listen I'm afraid," the resurrected priestess asked, her tone completely smug, gently tilting the half-demon's head so that Kagome would be able to see his vacant, unseeing eyes.

Kagome shook her head. "No, I decided you can keep him, _if_ you hand over your jewel shards. The Shikon no Tama isn't supposed to exist in this time any more. I've got to collect it up and take it back to my time, and he really does love you more than anyone else. There's the deal."

Frankly, she'd really just had enough of InuYasha not being able to make a decision to anybody's face. Kagome had decided for him instead. If every time he caught wind of Kikyo he was going to run after her, then that was going to be his final choice.

"Actually, that sounds reasonable," Kikyo answered, blinking in surprise at her reincarnation, having not expected anything even vaguely reasonable like that to come from the girl. "Except that you'll be short one protector."

"Unfortunately, I have other options, and I'm glad you agree with me," Kagome said responding to each comment separately, though she didn't bother to sound enthusiastic. "I'll take the beads that kept him tied to me, your jewel shards, and the sword he's never going to use again, and that's that."

Kikyo nodded and stepped away from InuYasha so that Kagome could take the beads and sword from him, while she pulled out the jewel shards she had collected.

"I suggest keeping them in your own time, rather than travelling around with them," Kikyo said as she handed them over. "Ask Kaede to show you how to write spells that will create lasting barriers, so that you don't have to protect them at all times."

Kagome nodded and, items in hand and pocket, turned and left the clearing as Kikyo returned her attention to the catatonic InuYasha, bidding him to hell with her that very moment.

"And when they're gone, I should have the rest of my soul back," Kagome mumbled to herself as she headed back to camp. "Not to mention my heart thoroughly cured of idiotic demon canines."

"Now, I hope you don't mean to suggest that _all_ canine demons are idiots," a smooth voice said from just ahead of her.

"Well, dogs and wolves anyway," Kagome answered absently. "Foxes are too naturally clever to ever be thought of as idiots. Hang on," she pulled up short and looked around for who might be the owner of that voice. It hadn't been Naraku's at least, that she was sure of, but it might still have been one of his incarnations again.

"Fooled you!" a much more familiar voice sounded, and Kagome relaxed. Shippo.

"Shippo, don't scare me like that, I thought it might have been something dangerous out for my life of the jewel shards!" Kagome scolded, though she held out an arm for the kit to land in, since that last comment had definitely come from above her. "I was right about the dangerous bit too," she added, feeding her cub's ego.

"Sorry Kagome," the fox kit said. "Hey, you've got InuYasha's beads and sword! Where's InuYasha?"

"On his way to hell with Kikyo," Kagome answered flatly, denying the tears that were beginning to burn at her eyes.

"But the fight with Naraku! How are we going to defeat him without InuYasha's help?" the kit asked, suddenly terrified at the prospect.

Kagome smiled gently at the child and drew him close to her in a comforting embrace. Of all things she truly didn't want, she didn't want Shippo to be frightened. He'd had too many bad experiences already, and really deserved to have a good and happy childhood.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, "but I'm sure we'll find a way."

~oOo~

"Um, Kagome?" Sango asked when her best friend returned to the circle of light created by the camp fire, carrying InuYasha's sword. "Where's InuYasha?"

"Probably hell by now," she answered and sat down, putting the sword down beside her on the ground and dropping the beads of subjugation into her backpack before taking out the little bottle she kept her jewel shards in and tipping Kikyo's in with them.

Sango stared silently, and Miroku gaped.

"What happened?" the monk asked in shock.

At that moment, puffs of white energy, puffs that the group recognised by now to be souls, began to appear and move towards Kagome, and disappeared within her, making her glow.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried out from her shoulder, frightened.

"It's alright Shippo, it's just the parts of my soul that Kikyo held returning to me. It doesn't hurt, I promise," Kagome answered, patting his head kindly.

"InuYasha in hell and your soul back from Kikyo," Miroku said quietly, watching the scene solemnly. "Kagome, what have you done?"

"Sacrificed my own happiness for both of theirs," Kagome snapped, though quietly. "Ripped two of Naraku's targets from his grip forever. Reclaimed a large number of jewel shards and the rest of my stolen soul. Made peace with my past."

Miroku settled down at that.

"What will we do now?" Sango asked, when it was clear that Miroku wasn't going to say anything else.

"I'm going to take the shards home, where Naraku won't be able to get at them, to start with," Kagome answered firmly. "After that, we'll go on as we have before I suppose."

"Kagome, I thought you loved InuYasha," Sango said quietly.

Kagome nodded. "I did, do, but InuYasha only wanted the love I had given him in a previous life. I was Kikyo once, but I'm not any more, so InuYasha wasn't able to love me as I am now. I spoke with Kikyo, and I think that she was able to finally, properly let go of the last of her hate as she left this world with InuYasha."

Abruptly, a pair of strong, female arms wrapped around her chest in a tight hug, and a face was buried in her shoulder. Looking down, Kagome wrapped her arms around Sango as well.

"You're so brave!" Sango sobbed quietly. "To willingly break your own heart like that."

Tears that Kagome had been holding back finally choked up, and she clung just as tightly to the demon slayer as they wept together.

"Kagome? Sango? What's wrong?" Shippo asked tentatively, patting each of the women on their faces.

"Nothing really Shippo," Kagome answered, looking up at him with a wet smile on her face. "It's just that sometimes we females get so stressed, so worried, so tired, and sometimes just plain hormonal, that the only thing we can do is let all out. Sango and I have been working up to having a good cry like this for quite some time," Kagome told her fox kit.

"Okay, but don't stay sad, alright?" Shippo asked, still a bit worried.

"We'll both be fine in the morning Shippo, I promise," Kagome said, sniffing a bit.

~oOo~

The slightly reduced group was a day away from the Bone Eater's Well when Kagome spotted Jaken grumbling in the middle of a flower field, a human girl placing a small wreath of buttercups and daisies over his hat.

Kagome smiled brightly and, leaving Miroku and Sango behind with very confused and more than slightly wary looks, approached the girl she knew to be Sesshoumaru's ward, Rin. Shippo called out to her though, remembering times when they had been permitted to play together.

"Oh, Miss Kagome, Shippo," Rin answered, smiling brightly as she stood to greet them.

"Hello Rin," Kagome answered, Shippo having already called out his greeting. "Is Sesshoumaru about?"

"Insolent human!" Jaken screeched. "What do you want with the great Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome ignored the toad imp, but waved her friends over. It was early, but the field was a good place to make camp anyway, and Kagome wanted to talk to Rin a little, and Shippo would probably like to play as well.

"Not at the moment Miss Kagome," Rin answered. "My Lord promised to be back tomorrow night though."

Kagome smiled gently and knelt down in the flowers beside the girl. "Then may Shippo and I play with you a while?"

Rin nodded. "I would like that very much!"

After setting up camp, Miroku went to the nearby river to catch fish, while Sango joined Kagome, Shippo and Rin in making flower chains.

It wasn't long before Kagome was answering all sorts of questions that Rin had saved up since the last time she saw them, and Kagome had to blushingly give the girl the sex talk, as well as explain about the changes her body would go through in a few years time. Shippo had also listened attentively, though his whole face was redder than a tomato the whole way through.

Around the camp fire, Kagome taught Rin numbers and some basic characters in writing while Shippo read one of the children's books she had given to him a while ago.

Kagome, though she knew she shouldn't, kept the little girl up late, until after everybody else was asleep. At that point, she brought out the Tetsusaiga and passed it to the girl.

"This is Mister InuYasha's sword," Rin breathed in surprise. "But where is Mister InuYasha?"

"He's dead Rin," Kagome answered, "but you know that InuYasha and Sesshoumaru are half-brothers, right?"

Rin nodded. "They have the same father, but different mothers."

"Well, this sword was given to InuYasha by their father, and now that InuYasha is dead, I think that Sesshoumaru should have it, so that it stays in their family. Do you agree?" Kagome asked.

Rin nodded again. "Will you stay to give it to him, or do you want Rin to do that?" the child asked.

Kagome smiled. "I think it would be best if you did Rin. You see, there's a barrier around this sword which makes it so that it burns whichever demon is not supposed to touch it, and it's burned Sesshoumaru before, but I think if you give it to him then he'll be just fine," Kagome said.

Rin's eyes grew wide. "Really? If I give it to my Lord then it won't burn him?"

Kagome held up a hand to calm the child down. "No Rin, I'm only guessing. I don't know that for sure. If it _does_ burn Sesshoumaru, then I suggest that you throw it down the Bone Eater's Well, so that no one else can use it's power. Can you remember all that for me Rin?" Kagome asked, brushing a little hair out of Rin's face kindly.

"Rin will try," she answered.

"Would you like me to write it down in a letter for you to give to Sesshoumaru?" Kagome suggested.

Rin brightened. "Yes please Miss Kagome, then I can learn how to read off it after as well!"

Kagome nodded and patted the girl on the head.

"Alright, now I think I've kept you awake for far too long," Kagome said, lying the child down and tucking a blanket around her.

"Goodnight Miss Kagome."

"Goodnight Rin."

~oOo~

Once Kagome had set up the barrier in her room to protect the Shikon no Tama fragments and collected supplies for the feudal period again, this time with a lot less ramen than she had needed to carry before to placate InuYasha, and had returned to the well house she was only half surprised to find the fang of destruction sitting in the bottom of the well. She retrieved it, quickly making a place for it in the shrine's relic house, and then jumped down the well herself.

What surprised her even more was that, when she climbed out of the well, Sesshoumaru was waiting for her.

"Miko," he stated, taking in her surprised face. "This Sesshoumaru thanks you for attempting to return his father's sword to him, and for explaining to his ward about the changes her body will soon go through."

"You're welcome," she answered, relaxing slightly.

"This Sesshoumaru feels a minor obligation," the handsome demon stated, very coldly and clearly not pleased with the idea, however much he appreciated Kagome's actions.

"There is no obligation," Kagome answered. "I attempted to return the last sword of your father to his last son when it's previous possessor chose to go to hell with his love." Kagome was really quite glad that the third sword, Sounga, had been sent to hell a few months ago.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. He had suspected that InuYasha had done something stupid to be separated from his sword, but he hadn't expected it to be choosing the dead miko.

"There _is_ obligation. This Sesshoumaru knows of a skilled and powerful thief that may be able to retrieve the jewel of _your_ inheritance to you. This Sesshoumaru will direct you to him, and feel his obligation is fulfilled," he declared, putting aside his half-brother's stupidity for the time, and forever. It was nothing new from InuYasha after all.

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise, and she bowed gratefully to the proud demon lord. "Thank you very much!"

"This is a return of obligation. Do not thank me," he said. "Besides, _convincing_ him to help you will be your own task. This Sesshoumaru shall not do it."

"I understand," Kagome answered, bowing low again.

Sesshoumaru held out a slip of paper, which Kagome accepted. On it were written directions, and she smiled. Apparently Rin had talked about the lessons in letters as well, and the lord had been impressed by her own penmanship, to return it with something written of his own.

"I'm guessing you'd rather I not mention your name when I find him?" Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru snorted regally. "The thief is a nuisance to this Sesshoumaru, not a concern."

"Of course," Kagome bowed again. "And I know from your interactions with your late half-brother, your dislike of such nuisances. If you please Lord Sesshoumaru, I will go at once and remove my unworthy self from your most excellent presence."

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance of her mannerisms, and Kagome grabbed her bag and headed towards the village.

~oOo~

Sango and Miroku were sceptical when they heard about this thief that Sesshoumaru recommended, but Kagome stuck to her guns. Anyone that Sesshoumaru bothered to remember was clearly worth the time to look up, especially when recommended as a great thief, and what they really needed was to get the jewel off of Naraku. Shippo put in his extra bid when Kagome read the name off the directions that Sesshoumaru had given her.

"Yoko is another name for the Kitsune," the child said. "So he's a fox spirit. If a fox caught Sesshoumaru's attention and he didn't kill it, then I say he's got to be impressive!"

Kagome chuckled and petted Shippo's head. "And maybe he'd be willing to give you a lesson or two in your fox magic," she added. "I know you'd like that too."

Shippo blushed, but didn't deny it.

Sango relented first, knowing that defeating Naraku was really something that they couldn't do while he still held any of the Shikon no Tama, though she would continue to have concerns, and was determined to voice them, even if she _did _agree that it was a good idea.

"What if this Yoko Kurama decides that he wants to keep it for himself once he's got his hands on it? I really don't like the idea of trusting a _demon_ thief to steal from a half-demon who was a thief before," the demon slayer pointed out.

"I'll make him a better deal," Kagome said firmly, even if she had no idea just yet what that deal would end up being.

Miroku sighed in resignation. Kagome was a stubborn woman, and he recognised by now the signs that they had reached a point where she would no longer be swayed.

Eventually, they agreed to search for allies in the fight against Naraku while Kagome and Shippo went to see the bandit fox.

~oOo~


	2. Chapter 2

As Kagome and Shippo walked – and sometimes rode her bike – according to Sesshoumaru's directions, they encountered only the occasional demon. The first had a jewel shard in it's neck, and was altogether crazed. Kagome drew her arrows quickly and purified the rabid lizard, taking the shard from it's hide.

"You know what Shippo?" Kagome said as she tucked the purified shard from the creature, "I'm beginning to think that it's the jewel's influence that makes the demon's act crazy, not just Naraku's."

"But my Papa had jewel shards, and he wasn't like that," Shippo pointed out.

"Maybe that's because he got them when the jewel had only just been shattered, so they were still fairly pure," Kagome suggested. "I'll bet your father was a really kind, strong demon anyway. The jewel has less influence on the strong willed."

"And when we fought the spider heads back before we met Miroku? They didn't make me crazy when I collected them," Shippo continued.

"Well, I'd been keeping them, and you're a pretty pure soul yourself Shippo," Kagome answered him fondly. "Besides, you only held them, rather than taking them into yourself."

Shippo thought for a moment before he nodded in acceptance of the theories that Kagome had given him to think about.

They were a few miles away from where the thief's camp was supposed to be when another demon with a jewel shard attacked her. This one was a raccoon-dog, much like Miroku's friend Hacchi. As she pulled back her arrow, she told Shippo not to look.

"May you find peace," she told the demon as she took the two tainted jewel shards from it's head, purifying them and standing by as the poor creature dissolved into ashes.

"Your aim has gotten better Kagome," Shippo said quietly. "I don't think he suffered."

"No Shippo, he suffered a great deal, and all because of these," she said, staring down at the now pure and glowing fragments in her hand. "The sooner we get the jewel whole and out of this time, the less humans and demons will suffer because of it."

"Well, I must say, strange for a miko to be so concerned about the welfare of demons," a deep, husky voice said from her left. It sounded pained.

Kagome turned quickly, searching for the source.

"I'm not exactly a traditional miko," Kagome told the voice, still searching.

"There Kagome!" Shippo said, pointing to a flash of silver underneath a bush.

"No closer, if you please. I don't want the concerned miko to do to me what she did to our _suffering_ friend there," the voice said, still pained.

"I have no intention towards such actions," Kagome said.

"Yeah, Kagome's the nicest person in the whole world! She hates having to kill demons, but when they get like that there's nothing else that can really be done!" Shippo yelled vehemently, a growling undertone in his voice.

"A fox kit? Miko, when did you steal this child from his parents? What bindings do you practice upon him?" the unknown speaker demanded, now growling himself, though he could not completely disguise his pain.

"Kagome didn't steal me, and she hasn't put any bindings on me! She helped me avenge my papa's death, even after I stole from her! And Papa used some of the last of his magic to make her my guardian!" Shippo was getting steadily angrier at this unknown voice.

"Well then, such a strange miko," the voice said, chuckling dryly before hissing in pain.

"This is ridiculous," Kagome grumbled, grabbing her first aid kit from the back of her bike and stomping over to the bush. "You can either let me help with your wounds, or you can be stubborn about it and I'll help anyway," she informed the bush before stepping around it to see who the injured demon was. After all, no human was ever concerned with being purified simply because a miko came too close to them.

Kagome almost stopped short at the sight of the wounded demon. He looked to be in about his mid-twenties, though with demons ageing is more than just a little bit deceptive. He was also extremely handsome, shirtless, and quite bloody.

"Hey, you're a fox too!" Shippo exclaimed, his big green eyes nearly popping out of his head.

A silver one, Kagome noted, with ears and tail that probably looked even nicer when they weren't caked with blood and dirt.

"Shippo, can you transform into a bird and scout around? See if you can find a river or a hot spring nearby. I'm going to need more water than I've got handy to wash all that blood off and see what actually needs to be done," Kagome asked her small friend.

"No need, I was already heading towards a hot spring when I collapsed. It's just a couple of minutes that way," the fox said, jerking his head to indicate his left and a bit further on.

Kagome nodded, and Shippo hopped down from her shoulder to transform and help her carry the wounded fox demon. With a masculine arm over a shoulder of each of the two Kagome's, and the real Kagome also leading her bike on the other side, they reached the hot spring in fairly good time considering the stumbling pace, and Shippo changed back into himself as soon as they reached the edge.

Kagome lowered the fox to the ground beside the spring and pulled out a cloth. She wasn't going to just let him get in the spring, that would increase the circulation and in all likelihood cause further blood loss. She intended to make sure he was at least mostly fixed up before she let him get in. Taking the cloth and dipping it in the water, she then proceeded to wash blood off and gently inspect for damage with her powers as she did so. She may have only been an apprentice miko, but she had at least – at last – gotten the hang of healing with her energy. Most of it was just flesh wounds, though they were fairly serious flesh wounds, but he also had a couple of broken ribs, which was dangerous. She sent her energy to heal those first while she continued to clean the blood off his very nicely toned chest and arms.

"That stings," the fox said.

"I'm sorry about that, but it's not going to do anything that's actually harmful,"Kagome answered, moving to rinse the cloth and continue with cleaning the many various cuts and burns to his torso. "Do I even dare ask how you ended up like this?"

"Does the miko care to hear of greedy lords hiring monks to guard their treasures from a thief?" the fox answered. "Half of these would have healed by now if they hadn't come from the holy men."

"I can only guess most monks start their training as enthusiastic, faithful and devoted young apprentices, but most of the monks that I've met are either stupid, proud or both, and sometimes greedy as well," Kagome said, and felt no guilt over describing Miroku as such to the stranger. Finally, she was able to turn her attention to the arrow that had lodged itself in the fox's leg. The shaft was broken, which must have been painful, and it had gone straight through muscle, which was no doubt also quite painful.

"Do you want me to pull it out or would you rather do it yourself?" she asked, hand hovering just above the arrow's tip.

"Give me something to bite down on, I don't even want to watch," the fox answered.

Kagome passed him a stick, waited for him to brace himself, then pulled sharply.

He grunted painfully, and Kagome sent her energy to heal it.

"Damn rich lords, changing their security the day after we did the surveillance of the place. Damn fortune telling priest who warned him. Damn monks and their _thrice_ damned sutras," the fox panted as the wound slowly healed with Kagome's help. "And damn Korunoue for going back for his damn trinket and getting killed for it, even if that _is_ why I managed to get away."

"Kagome! He said bad words!" Shippo yelped.

"Well, he's had a bad time, and lost a friend by the sounds of it," Kagome told the child quietly. "It's times like those that are what the bad words are for. Now, would you like to have a bath Shippo? I think we're all a bit of a mess right now."

Shippo nodded and proceeded to strip down before jumping in with a splash.

"Do you want to bathe now, or did the healing make you tired?" Kagome asked the larger, silver fox demon.

"I'd rather fall asleep in the spring than with my hair and fur in this state," the fox answered, pushing himself up off the ground and shifting so that he had at least his legs in the hot water.

"That is a feeling I _completely_ understand," Kagome said, grabbing her bag and searching out her soap, shampoo and conditioner, comb and towel.

"You know, for a miko, you sure don't seem to mind what I am," the demon said as he slid carefully into the hot water, pants and all.

"Like I said, I'm not exactly a traditional miko," she said, taking off her pleated skirt but leaving on her shirt and tugging her bra carefully out one of the sleeves. She wanted to be clean, but she also didn't want to be exposed. Laying her bow and arrows near the water's edge beside the other things she had already put out, she then slipped into the water, sighing in bliss as the hot water relaxed all her sore muscles.

"Besides, we're actually looking for a thief to ask his help," Shippo added, floating over to them so that Kagome could shampoo his hair for him.

"Oh? Who and why?" the fox asked, his curiosity raised by the innocuous little statement.

"Because I need to steal something back," Kagome answered shortly, before sighing. "I heard about a Yoko Kurama, and that he was the best. I have to get the Shikon no Tama back from a particularly nasty half-demon named Naraku – what he's got of it anyway, since I've been collecting the shards as well."

"The shards have been making whoever has got them go crazy unless they're really powerful," Shippo added. "Because they're becoming tainted and evil. Kagome can purify the jewel though, so it doesn't make demons crazy any more."

"Except with want to get it," Kagome said with a sigh. "It's capable of granting power to whoever holds it, which is what Naraku wants it for – he wants to be some kind of super-demon, probably has world-domination on his short-list of things to do," she explained, before ducking under the water quickly. When she came up, she lathered shampoo into her hair and ducked down again to rinse it out.

"What is that stuff?" the adult silver fox asked the young brown one.

"Kagome calls it shampoo. It gets hair and fur really clean. There's another one she calls conditioner, that makes it all smooth and shiny and the knots come out easy. If you want to try some, I'm sure Kagome wouldn't mind sharing. You have to get your hair wet first though," Shippo explained.

Kagome surfaced again and smiled to herself, eyes closed before she wiped the water from her eyes with her hands.

"Conditioner Shippo?" Kagome asked the kit.

"Kagome, can he try shampoo and conditioner?" Shippo asked, paddling over to her and pointing to their new friend.

"Of course, if he wants to."

"Will you massage it in for him?"

Kagome laughed. "If he wants me to," she answered, looking out the corner of her eye at him. "I'm sorry, I just realised that we hadn't actually introduced ourselves. I'm Kagome Higurashi, but please, just call me Kagome, and this is my adopted son, Shippo."

"I'm the Yoko Kurama," the silver fox answered.

"Wow! Really! So all this time we'd already found who we were looking for!" Shippo said happily.

Kagome blushed slightly and the silver fox laughed gently.

"Yes, so it would seem," he said. "Please, call me Kurama. Those who fear me know me as Yoko, and I think it's a little too late to frighten you. I understand I have to have my hair wet before I use this shampoo?"

Kagome nodded. "If you want to lie back in the water, I'll do all the work for you," she offered.

Kurama obligingly did as suggested, and Kagome got to work cleaning all the blood, dirt and twigs out of his long silver hair, massaging his scalp and being careful of his ears as she did so. She was just about to rinse out the shampoo when a pleased moan gently sighed passed the handsome creature's lips. Taking that as a good sign, she washed the shampoo away in the same manner before reaching for the conditioner and the comb. Two more of those contented moans escaped the thief before Kagome was finished.

"I'd ask if you want me to do your tail too, but Shippo always does that himself, saying it isn't to be touched by anyone but a fox and his mate," Kagome said softly into Kurama's ear, causing it to twitch.

"That's true," Kurama said, lifting himself from the water so that he was upright again. "And as pretty as you are Kagome, and however deliciously talented your hands may be, I don't believe that I know you well enough to let you be that intimate with my person just yet."

Kagome smiled and just turned to squirt a little of the shampoo into Shippo's hands for him to wash his tail with, then offered the same to Kurama.

"Thank you," he said, then began the process himself while he watched Kagome treat her own hair with the conditioner, particularly admiring the way her wet shirt clung to her shapely form while she ran her fingertips and the comb through her thick black tresses.

"So tell me more about this Shikon no Tama, and why you have to retrieve it," Kurama said when he rinsed his tail and was given some conditioner to put through it.

"Well, a centipede demon ripped it from my body, which is why I'm the one who has to get it," Kagome started. "It's actually the soul of an ancient priestess and some demons. They're all trapped inside. Supposedly, if someone makes a pure wish on the jewel, it will purify the souls within the jewel, and they will all be able to move on to the after life or whatever. Naraku wants to taint the jewel, gaining power for himself, spreading insanity, and generally making life miserable for anybody he takes any kind of an interest in."

"How did it come to be inside your body if it is the frozen soul of a priestess fighting demons?"

"Ah well, you see..." Kagome started, scratching her cheek nervously, before explaining about being a reincarnation from the future, about the Bone Eater's Well, the Tree of Ages, and eventually everything else he asked her about.

"I'll help," Kurama said at last. "Stealing from someone so very protective sounds like a fun challenge, and he won't have priests or monks to get in my way."

"Just demons," Kagome pointed out, having talked about that already.

"Demons that can be bested, particularly if we combine your miko powers with Shippo's illusions and my skills. Of course, we will work on all that as we go, and by the time we find this demon, I promise you, you will find it embarrassingly easy to get in and out, and you will have this Shikon no Tama in your hands again," Kurama said.

"I don't know how to thank you," Kagome said, smiling in delighted shock.

Golden eyes glinted at her. "You healed me, and you're working towards the removal of something that is dangerous to demons as well as humans. Maybe in five hundred years, I'll come to visit you at your family's shrine, and ask you to wash my hair again, and perhaps even my tail," Kurama said, whispering the last words into Kagome's ear in a seductive promise that made her shiver, despite being in hot water up to her shoulders. "But we'll see how things turn out first."

Kagome nodded. Basically, she would owe him a big favour, possibly several big favours, and he was free to call them in at any time.

"Besides," Kurama said with a more teasing smile. "I couldn't leave the training of one of my own kind to a miko. He would be sadly under-educated in trickery."

~oOo~

Kurama began training Shippo and Kagome as they travelled back towards the Bone Eater's Well, standing back when rabid, jewel-infected demons or greedy jewel-seeking demons attacked, only interfering when the situation got out of hand for Kagome and Shippo to handle. It helped them to improve their skills, which was something he knew needed to happen, and quickly.

Kagome hopped down the well, a plan for her future now in hand along with the latest jewel shards, and she couldn't wait to tell her mother.

It made sense really. She'd missed so much school due to 'illness', that really she might as well be home-schooled instead. This way, she would be able to keep up with her studies properly even in the feudal era.

Kurama had obligingly suggested that she take a week to get her official documents and social life tidied up, and he would use the time to train Shippo and look for any books on miko training. A few favours would be added to Kagome's tab, but if she got results then she was willing to pay up, even five hundred years in the future.

"So Kagome, how's that two-timing boyfriend of yours?" Eri asked.

"Dead," she answered flatly. "Next question."

Her three friends were stunned for a moment, not sure how to really take that answer. Of all the things they hadn't expected from their absent friend, that was... well, they were in shock.

"What about the guy who declares his undying love for you every time you see him?" Yuka questioned.

"Mercifully absent," Kagome replied, massaging her temples like she had a headache. "But he's got something of mine that I'm going to need back soon, so I'm going to have to smash his hopes some time in the near future." Yes, that's right, Koga still had those jewel shards in his legs. Let her friends think she'd lent him notes or something.

"The guy who asked you to bear his children?" Aya suggested.

"I'm hoping he's come to his senses and realised he's in love with a mutual friend. Haven't seen him for a while either," Kagome said. If Miroku hadn't figured out his feelings for Sango by the time she saw them again, then she was going to shoot _him_ with one of her purifying arrows.

"So you're finally open to going out with Hojo?" Eri said eagerly.

"No."

The three friends blinked in confusion at the flat response before chorusing all together "Why not!"

"One of you date him, he's just not my type," Kagome answered. Looking up from her burger around her friends, she sighed and explained a little. "He's too... blithe, I guess. Too sweetly innocent and pandering. I want someone I can have an interesting conversation with, maybe even a bit of a fight with so that we can make up afterwards. I'll bet he'd be out of breath from running up and down the shrine steps too," she said.

"And you're not? You have practically a million stairs there!" Yuka said.

"I'm not," Kagome confirmed. "Look, grandpa's the one who's got all those illnesses, not me. The only reason I've been in the hospital is because I've been beat up by guys who want a fun time with a cute and unwilling girl. If Hojo can't keep up with me, he sure isn't going to be able to keep up with that, and yes, that's what my two-timing boyfriend helped out with. He usually caught the guys before they got too far with me, and then he'd haul them off to the police. Then there were investigations and court trials. I'm away from school for the whole thing because I didn't want anybody to worry about it. I'm being home schooled now so that I don't have to worry about being caught in the street on my own. Do you guys understand now?"

Three heads nodded, eyes wide.

Kagome sighed deeply. "And you _won't_ go blabbing to the entire school?"

They nodded again, drawing crosses over their hearts and swallowing heavily.

"Thanks guys. I'll be either at home or staying with my new tutor from here on, and she picks me up and drops me back home so I'm not going to have to deal with creeps," best to make it sound like her mother had become paranoid of men that weren't family. "So if I'm not home when you feel like coming to visit, it's probably because I'm at an intense study week or something with her."

"We understand Kagome," Yuka said. "But do you think you'll ever get to date again?"

Kagome shrugged. "Maybe, but probably not for a few months at the _very_ least. The only guys that mother will be letting near the house are going to be family for quite some time, not that we'll be stopping visitors going to the shrine of course."

"Well, try and keep in touch, okay Kagome?"

She nodded. Tomorrow, she was going back to see how Shippo was getting along with Kurama, and maybe, hopefully, get some more training as a miko from the spirit fox as well. She hoped they would be able to get the Shikon no Tama back soon, and if things went really well, possibly kill Naraku as well.

~oOo~


	3. Chapter 3

Kurama watched as Kagome created barriers and weapons from her energy as she fought against the boar demon that had attacked almost the instant their trio had left what was once InuYasha's forest. Of course, with his complete absence from the world of the living, it couldn't be called InuYasha's forest any more, and Tokyo was beginning to attach itself to the area – Kagome's home city, which would some day be built there.

They had stayed with Kaede for a week, Kurama overseeing the miko's instruction as well as that of the fox kit. Things that the old woman didn't know, Kagome was able to learn from Kurama and the books that he had found. As well as the books, Kurama had gifted her the clothes that she was now wearing, rather than the jeans and t-shirt she had come through the well in – no longer in possession of a school uniform, and finally convinced by Souta that it was more practical. Her own clothes were due for a wash at the moment, and by the end of the fight, the emerald green outfit that he had pilfered on a venture to the mainland would probably need it as well.

Kurama smiled as Kagome picked the jewel shard from the boar demon and then noticed her own rather befouled state.

"Ick," she stated, pulling at the clothes and surveying the muddy, bloody mess.

He chuckled. "There's a hot spring off the road a short way up ahead. I think we are all in want of a bath," the fox stated, indicating his own slightly dirtied state and Shippo's muddy hair. The fox kit had been thrown, rather literally, from the fight by the boar early on, and though Kurama had only watched, that hadn't stopped the mud from hitting him.

Kagome took her bath in the hot spring alone while Kurama kept watch and taught Shippo about certain parts of fox lore his father hadn't gotten to before the kit had been taken in by Kagome. He also explained about certain expressions that the child had heard, but not understood.

When Shippo and Kurama had both bathed as well, Kurama sat Kagome down and let Shippo build the fire. The kit would learn about being responsible, and he would test a theory with the miko.

"Take out the shards you have, you're going to meditate. We're going to see if you can use the jewels you have as a way of finding the others," the silver fox instructed.

"Now why didn't anyone ever think of doing this before?" Kagome grumbled as she let her power flow into the gem and out again, searching for the rest of it. A few minutes later, her eyes snapped open. "Bingo," she said. "Found it."

"It? Not other shards, but _it_?" Kurama questioned, raising a silver brow curiously.

"It. The great big lump of Shikon no Tama that Naraku's got. He's got a bunch of shards as well, not joined to the main piece, which he's planting into lessor demons to fight us or my friends," Kagome answered firmly. She was going to finish this, and soon. Maybe she would even spot Sango and Miroku along the way there.

~oOo~

It took them three months to reach Naraku's castle. Not because of how far away it was, or because of the particularly difficult terrain, or even because it moved several times – one of Naraku's particularly annoying tricks – but because Kurama had them set up camp early every day for extra training and lessons. Though all that other stuff slowed them down a fair bit as well.

When they eventually reached the castle barrier, Kurama passed Kagome and Shippo each a mask – ones he had stolen – that looked just like the one that Sango wore when she was demon slaying or dealing with fumes of any kind. It would filter the air that they breathed so that they would not be poisoned by Naraku's miasma.

"You'd better be ready for this," Kurama told them once he'd tied his own mask on.

Shippo and Kagome nodded, and cast their illusions and barriers before slipping into the castle.

Kurama preferred to get a good look at the place he was robbing, but that wasn't an option this time and they all knew it. According to Kagome, Naraku kept the jewel on his person at all times anyway.

Breaking and entering, infiltration, grand theft, and pickpocketing the bastard all at once. Kurama mentally sniggered. Add to that, he knew that Kagome wanted to kill the half-demon if she got the chance as well, and since she had been improving so much over the past month she would probably be able to purify him with a gentle tap to one of his slimy tentacles if she wanted – and he knew that she wanted to. She wanted to purify Naraku in as painful a way as possible, unlike all the crazed demons who had attacked her before, who she put out of their suffering as quickly and kindly as she knew how to.

In the first room they entered, Kagome stopped for a moment, staring at two jars on a shelf. Kurama raised an eyebrow when she quickly grabbed them and tucked them into her bag, but the look she gave him promised an explanation, so he let it go. It hadn't caused any problems to them, and he doubted that it would for a while. Kagome directed them through the castle until they reached the door of the room that Kagome said the jewel was behind.

Extreme caution was to be taken at this point. Shippo was terrified, and Kurama was decidedly not interested in being 'infected' with a corrupt jewel shard or being absorbed into Naraku's body – something Kagome had warned him about when explaining the genuinely evil half-demon.

Kurama chose a seed from his stash and Shippo hopped down from Kagome's shoulder to open the door. Kagome tightened her grip on her bow and readied an arrow on the string. Shippo opened the door just an inch, and Kagome fired her arrow, not even looking inside, just shooting it through the gap and sending a wave of purification through the room. A quiet _thunk_ indicated that the shaft had hit wood, and Naraku was either aware now of their presence, or not in the room with their target.

"Well, well... That actually stung..." an arrogant voice oozed.

That answered that then.

Kagome handed a cloth to Kurama so that he could handle the jewel if he got to it first, one she had infused with her powers, so that some of the taint would be removed and Kurama would stay safe from the jewel's influence. Naraku wasn't to know about the thief if they could help it. Kagome would draw his attention, hopefully killing him in the process, and not dying herself.

Shippo opened the door the rest of the way, and stayed beside it. He was stronger, but he wasn't ready to face the creature of nightmares that was Naraku.

"Okay, that's just really gross," Kagome said when she was able to take in what Naraku looked like just then. He was spread out in slimy lumps around the room, his head and torso hanging from a web of green gunk. "Ew, just really, really ew," Kagome stated, drawing back her bow and firing at his face.

Tentacles came up to block the arrow as they had in previous battles. Three were ripped through before they dissolved and the arrow came to a stop in the fourth, which also dissolved, before the arrow fell to the floor.

"You little wench," Naraku sneered, readying his separated limbs to attack her even as Kagome fired another arrow at him.

"I'm getting really sick of being called that," she stated, placing a third arrow on her string while the second ripped through more tentacles, not quite reaching Naraku. The third arrow managed to land in his throat.

While he gasped, Kagome loaded another arrow.

"That one was for what you did to Sango," she stated, releasing the next one. "For Miroku," she said, as it landed in his shoulder. "For InuYasha and Kikyo," she continued, this arrow striking him where his heart should be, if it still existed in his body. "For all the demons you've driven to madness with your tainted jewel shards and evil ambitions," she growled, this arrow landing in the other shoulder. "This one is for Midoriko, the miko who created the jewel in the first place." The arrow landed in his eye. "And this one?" she said, drawing her bow back again. "This one is for me, because I had a hard enough time having to put up with InuYasha and searching for the jewel shards without having to deal with you as well!" The last arrow landed in his other eye, and Naraku dissolved, purified. "I wonder if you will take your incarnations with you," she growled down at the ashes all around her.

All the pieces of demon flesh dissolved as well, and Kagome saw Kurama bending down to collect something with the cloth she had given to him.

"One large one, and several slivers," Kurama declared, pouring the contents of the cloth into Kagome's hand. He'd seen her purify other shards with merely her touch, and saw it happen again, even though they were tainted nearly black, they still became a glowing pink as they touched her.

Kagome closed her hand, her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Just the one in Kohaku's back, and Koga's two in his legs left," she said, opening her eyes with a smile on her face. "And Koga's always going on about being in love with me, so that shouldn't be a hard one. You have my deepest thanks Kurama," Kagome said, bowing deeply to the silver fox, the Youko.

"I will escort you to the well, so that you can return these to your time, and wait for you to return," Kurama said. "You need to give me the date in your time, so that I will not try to seek you out for that favour before you will know me," he added.

Kagome nodded and led the two foxes out of the castle into clean air and a different part of Japan than they had been.

"I'm guessing the castle returned to it's normal location without his energy to hold it within his own realm," Shippo observed, stunned.

~oOo~

Kagome dropped her filled-in school work on the kitchen table, picking up the next set – as much as Koga claimed his love for her, he was really very absent, and she had no idea how long it would take her to find him with how fast he moved from one place to another – then went to put the latest shards and the chunk taken from Naraku with the others in the barrier she had created in her bedroom.

She put her clothes through the washing machine and fixed herself something to eat while they washed. Lucky for her, her mother and grandfather were at one of Souta's soccer games – it was in red on the calendar, which was the only reason she knew. When the wash finished, she put it in the dryer and got herself into the shower. Hot springs were great, but there was just something about her own shower, and the heated towel rack, and being able to clean up without having to deal with the potential of animals or demons showing up. It was just relaxing all over, especially the way the hot water pounded on her shoulders.

When she climbed out, she enjoyed the bliss of a blow-dry and face mask until the clothes dryer was finished, when she folded everything up back into her bag – which had also gotten washed with everything else – and began cooking dinner, ready for her family.

"I just thank Inari that the Yoko is more patient than the Inu was," Kagome sighed to herself as she flipped the omelette onto the plate just as her family walked in, having gotten into the habit of referring to the minor deity of grain and harvests – and foxes – while travelling with two of "Inari's runners" as the fox demons apparently called themselves sometimes.

"Kagome! This is a nice surprise!"

"Hey, I'm home for a while. Not long, still got a couple of shards to get, but then I'll probably be back for keeps," Kagome answered, smiling as Souta hugged her quickly before going for a quick bath after his soccer match.

"You know Kagome, it's been a while since we've seen InuYasha around here, has he learned to be patient?" Kagome heard her mother ask.

Kagome steeled herself. She'd told her friends because they had been pestering her about her love life again. She hadn't told her family yet. Souta would probably be crushed that his hero was gone in a very much permanent way.

"No," Kagome answered. "He just made a decision. I haven't actually seen him for some time myself," it was better than saying he was dead. Her mother would react terribly to the news. If he was just having a really long pout, then that wasn't so bad.

"Oh, I'm sorry dear, are you alright?"

"Of course! I've still got all my other friends!" Never mind that she hadn't seen Sango, Miroku or Kirara for a while _either_... "And I'm finally getting a proper hold on my own powers as a miko," she added, reaffirming that it didn't matter what happened, she was still just fine.

"If you're sure dear."

"Yes Mama, I'm sure. I promise, everything is just fine."

~oOo~


	4. Chapter 4

"That's the date I just left behind. You might want to give me... another week or so before I'll be there all the time if you want to drop in for that favour," Kagome said, handing over the piece of paper to the handsome fox demon.

Kurama's golden eyes scanned the paper and he nodded, tucking it away into his clothing. He would burn it later, even if no one else could know the relevance of it.

"I'll check on Shippo sometimes when you are gone," Kurama promised.

Kagome smiled with relief. "Thank you," she said, bowing to him before collecting her fox child and heading towards Kaede's village. He had vanished before she finished straightening from her bow. "Come on Shippo, let's see if Sango and Miroku are back," she suggested.

"They are," Shippo told her. "I can smell them. InuYasha wasn't the only one with a good nose you know," the fox quipped happily.

Kagome laughed. "Well I'm just as glad," she answered, tapping her adopted child on said nose fondly. "Now let's go and say hi."

They were almost at Kaede's hut – which was looking even more run-down than it had when Kagome had first seen it, but where Shippo said Sango and Miroku were – when a strong wind suddenly kicked up. It died just as fast, but Kagome was aware of a demon standing in front of her.

"I guess the incarnations didn't die with the original then," Kagome said, slinging her bag off her shoulders and putting it down.

"Priestess, I ... _thank you_ for killing Naraku and ending my slavery to him, but you have something that belongs to me," Kagura said, drawing her fan up, ready to attack if there was resistance. "And also to my sister Kanna."

"Yeah, I've got them right here. I'm going to ask a favour before I give them back though," Kagome said, pulling the two jars half-way out of her bag so that she could shove them back in quickly if Kagura tried anything tricky.

Kagura scowled deeply. "What favour?"

"Information, that's all. How many of Naraku's incarnations are still hanging around?" Kagome asked. "And where are they?"

Red eyes narrowed above the scowl. "What do you want to know for?"

"So that he can't come back through any of them. He came back from _Kohaku_ once already," Kagome pointed out. "I don't want a repeat performance, and I don't think that you do either."

"There's me and there's Kanna. I killed the others he'd made and left lying around myself," Kagura answered.

"I need to remove Naraku's stain from you both if you want to continue to live without the possibility of his resurrection," Kagome said calmly. "Bring me Kanna and Kohaku, I'll cleanse you of Naraku and give you your hearts back, and we'll never have to see each other again."

Kagura's surprise was obvious. "You would help me?" she asked.

"You didn't like Naraku any more than I did, and I'm one of those weird, really forgiving people," Kagome answered with a smile. "I wouldn't take too long, you never know when the freak is going to make a bid for revival."

Kagura nodded and vanished.

"Kagome? Are you really going to help Kagura?" Shippo asked as they finished walking to Kaede's hut, where Sango and Miroku were standing at the door, their jaws hanging open in shock. Apparently, they'd heard her little conversation with Kagura.

"Yes Shippo, I really am," Kagome answered, then smiled at her friends. "Hey, long time, no see!"

"Kagome!" Sango cried, throwing her arms around her friend and crying. Kohaku was going to be brought to her, after so long... she didn't know what would happen to him, but she hoped that he would be alright.

"It'll be alright Sango, I'll make sure of it," Kagome promised softly, stroking her friend's back soothingly as she returned the hug.

Kagura wasn't long, and returned with Kanna and Kohaku before the sun had begun to set.

Kagome kicked Miroku out of the hut and sent Shippo, Sango and Kohaku into the next room while she explained to Kagura and Kanna what they and she would have do so that they would be freed of Naraku's taint. The first step, and the reason for Miroku being kicked out, was that they would have to show Kagome the mark on their backs that proved that they had come from Naraku.

Hot ashes were brushed over the marks, and Kagome applied her hands to them, sending her energy through Kagura, and then through Kanna. The marks were gone when she removed her hands, but it was a painful process and the hearts still had to be returned. Kagome had already purified the hearts of Naraku's stain in her own time, so there was no taint of Naraku in those either as she handed them to the two demons sitting before her.

Kagura sighed in relief to feel her heart in her chest again, and some life came into Kanna's eyes that Kagome had never seen before.

"I'll remember this Priestess," Kagura said as she pulled her kimono back onto her form.

Kagome just shrugged. "You're welcome."

Kagura nodded, and took Kanna from the hut. Kagome felt a draught, and when she looked out the door, neither of them were anywhere to be seen.

Now she just had to do something about Kohaku, for Sango's sake.

When she got into the room where Shippo and Sango were waiting for her with Kohaku, she could see that Sango was trying to get her little brother to remember her by telling him about their family, their childhood, and by holding him close in a way that she must have done before.

"Sango," Kagome said softly, drawing everybody's attention to her. Kneeling down in front of her friend, practically her sister, Kagome lay a gentle hand on the demon slayer's shoulder. "I need you to know, Kohaku may never completely remember his past, but that doesn't have to stop you from building a future. Alright?"

Sango was crying, but nodded her understanding.

"Okay. Kohaku, I need you to take off your shirt for me, so that I can treat any injuries you might have, alright?" Kagome asked the boy.

Kohaku nodded and slipped his arms from the yukata top, leaving it to fall around his waist at his thin obi.

"Give me your back," Kagome said, after running a critical eye over the boy's font and seeing a few scabs and old scars, but nothing serious. His back when he turned around she knew was going to be a different matter, and it was. The first thing she did was lay one hand over a small lump that had no business being there. It looked like Naraku had intended to bide his time within the boy again. Covering the jewel shard that was lodged in Kohaku's back with her other hand, Kagome sent her purification energy through the boy.

Kohaku screamed in pain, and Sango nearly pushed Kagome off him to stop her, except that a transformed Shippo and large Kirara held her down. They knew that, as much as it hurt him now, when Kagome was done he'd be able to have a normal life again.

The last thing that Kagome did was make sure that everything within Kohaku was functioning, and would stay that way even after she withdrew the jewel shard. He had been weak all that time, and Naraku had kept him weak by not feeding him properly, using only the jewel shard to keep the boy going when he should have been collapsing from hunger and dehydration. He was going to spend the next few days, if not weeks, very sick, but with good food and gentle care, he'd pull through.

Kagome took the fragment from Kohaku's back, and then caught him when his arms convulsed around his stomach and he groaned in pain.

"Kohaku!" Sango cried out.

"He's going to be fine Sango," Kagome assured her friend, cradling the boy in her arms. "He just needs food, water and a lot of time. You'll stay with him?"

"Of course I will. He's my brother," Sango answered, tears brimming in her eyes, but she was smiling, however weakly.

Kagome nodded. "Good. He'll take a while, he's been starved for a long time. I say thin soups, lots of water, keep him warm, and again: don't expect him to ever remember anything. Just love him."

Sango nodded and took her brother into her arms, crying as she cradled his weak, but still living, body.

"Now I've just got to find Koga," Kagome said as Shippo settled into her lap, smiling at the sight of the two siblings reunited and Kirara nuzzling between them both affectionately.

~oOo~

Kirara had very obligingly agreed to give Kagome and Shippo a lift to Koga's territory, and to wait until they got the jewel shards from him – if he was even there. Considering the wolf's attitude, Shippo decided to wait with the two-tailed cat and make guesses at how long it would take.

Lucky for them, the prince of the northern wolf tribe was home.

Kagome was fingering the beads of subjugation in the pocket of the pants that Kurama had given her though, and began to mumble the chant as soon as Koga came into view, sending them around his neck. She'd take them off as soon as she'd gotten the shards from his legs and cleared up that she _really_ wasn't his woman.

"Hey! Kagome! My woman finally came to visit me! I'm touched!" the wolf prince yelled, running up to her, not noticing the glowing beads that were showing up around his neck.

Kagome smirked as the last of the beads took their place around his neck, and said, with great pleasure, the word that had lately been missing from her life.

"Sit," and she said it with no little amount of pleasure, watching Koga kiss the earth rather forcibly at her feet. "Hi Koga."

"Kagome, what -? I don't understand..." the wolf demon sputtered as he spat the dirt from his mouth, fixing his big blue eyes on her.

"It really is very simple Koga: I came to get the jewel shards back from you," Kagome answered, almost pleasantly. "And I'm _not_ your woman," she added with a growl.

Kagome moved towards Koga's legs, muttering another "Sit," so that he stayed down, feeling very satisfied with the crunching of earth under the wolf. It didn't take her long to get the shards out.

"Damn, maybe that mutt wasn't so pathetic after all, if he was able to get up after that sort of treatment so quickly," Koga said, still lying on the ground, but with his face out of the dirt. "Hang on, where _is_ mutt-face?"

"In hell with Kikyo," Kagome answered coldly. "And if you don't want me to purify you, then I suggest you marry that fiancé of yours, Ayame right?" she added.

Koga groaned in resignation, and Kagome smiled sweetly at him before taking back the beads of subjugation and walking away.

"Have a nice life Koga, this is the very last time you're going to see me," she promised. After all, if he had been around in her time, he would have hunted her down by now, unless of course Ayame was keeping him on a very tight leash. Kagome chuckled at the idea as she returned to Kirara and Shippo.

~oOo~

"Shippo, I wish I could take you with me," Kagome told the fox kit fondly as she sat by the well and stroked his hair. "But I can't, and we both know it. I know that some day you'll grow up and be a handsome, powerful demon, maybe you'll come and find me in five hundred years," she suggested.

"Will you still let me call you Okaa-san if I'm older than you when I find you again?" Shippo asked.

Kagome laughed. "I'll always be honoured to be your mother Shippo. Always," she promised, kissing his cheek fondly.

"What day will it be when you get back Kagome-Okaa-san?" Shippo asked.

"Tuesday I think," Kagome answered, then laughed as he pulled a face at her.

"That's not what I meant!" the fox kit yelled, though he was holding back tears as he waved his small fists.

"I know Shippo," Kagome answered, patting his head and giving him the date.

"I'll remember, and I'll come first thing, I promise!"

Kagome smiled, and the two spent time together under the stars for a while. She was going to go back in the morning.

Time to pick up her normal life again.

~oOo~


	5. Chapter 5

When Kagome hauled herself out of the well that morning, she knew it was for the last time. She wasn't going back ever again, but hopefully...

"Kagome-Okaa-san?" a voice – deeper than she remembered – called out.

She smiled, running out of the well house to the source.

"Shippo!" she yelped, as the handsome young man wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, spinning her around. "You kept your promise!"

"Of course I did Kagome!" the demon fox answered. He was taller than her now, and very handsome. He was also wearing normal human clothes – jeans and a t-shirt. His brown hair was still tied up in a ponytail, but not with a bow any more, and it was longer, less fluffy looking, and more smooth.

"You've grown, and become so handsome!" Kagome admired. "Just like I knew you would. Will you join my family for breakfast?" she asked.

Shippo grinned. "I'd love to," he answered.

Souta was really pleased to meed Shippo – who had been living in the human world, hidden, for a really long time, and as such knew about playing video games – and was steadily getting to like the fox demon even more than he had liked InuYasha. When Kagome explained her relationship with Shippo to her family, all of them, even Gramps, had insisted that he take a room in the house and be a part of the family as a whole. Blushingly, Shippo had accepted, and had a human lawyer handle paperwork for him until he was officially adopted into the Higurashi family.

None of them had expected the fortune the fox brought with him, but when Shippo explained about what he'd been up to for the five hundred years between when he had last seen Kagome and that morning, it made a bit more sense that he would be loaded.

~oOo~

A couple of weeks passed before Kagome's seventeenth birthday came, and the family celebrated together in a rather improved shrine when it did come around. Kagome had spent her days filing her studies with the home-schooling program and making the shrine more interesting to visitors. There was a lot of stuff in the store room after all, and Kagome saw no reason for it all to be shut away all the time. Shippo was happy to help too, paying for renovations, improvements, and security measures as they were required, as well as a bit of manual labour now and then.

It was another week after that when a young man with long red hair appeared at the top of the steps to the shrine and made his way directly to the Shikon no Tama display. The mythical jewel itself wasn't on display, though a replica was on a small cushion beside the exhibit that Kagome and Shippo had created, recounting the history and legend of the jewel.

"Interesting that only one of the figures in the story is given a name," the boy said, his voice quiet but clear, and easily reaching Kagome's ears as she stood just three feet away from him, sweeping the courtyard.

"There are too many in the story for their names to have all been remembered," Kagome answered politely. "As it is, I dare say that a great deal of the story has been altered and forgotten over time. Only the very beginning of the story is perfectly clear. The priestess Midoriko created the jewel while fighting a mass of demons, and their souls are locked inside, doomed to battle for eternity."

"This isn't the real jewel of course," the young man said, smiling with a gesture at the fake bauble.

Kagome smiled in return. "Of course. This is a shrine. We don't have the security to leave a priceless gem on display all the time. It's likely that the jewel is just as lost as the names of the legend anyway."

The red head chuckled. "After all the trouble we went to, to get it back from Naraku?" he asked.

Kagome smiled back. "Well, haven't you just had one hell of a make-over since I saw you last Kurama," she answered. "I wasn't sure how the soul I sensed could possibly be you in that body," Kagome chuckled. "You got shorter," she teased.

Kurama smirked. "Well, I was hunted down. I had to take refuge somewhere, I happened to choose a human foetus. I'm called Shuichi Minamino now, and have been for approximately seventeen years."

"Well, how about that," Kagome answered with a smile. "Social visit, or are you here for one of the favours I promised?"

"It can't be both?" he asked, smiling handsomely.

"Shippo will be happy to see you," Kagome answered, setting her broom against the wall beside a rake. "Though I warn you, my grandfather welcomes nearly everybody into the house with a stura and a yell of 'demon be gone'," she added, smiling and rolling her eyes. "Not that they work."

Kurama laughed and followed Kagome into the house, receiving a sutra to the face just as the girl had predicted.

Kagome peeled it off for him, fixing a glare on the old man.

"Grandpa, mother, Souta, Shippo, this is Shuichi Minamino. A _human_," she emphasised for her grandfather. Shippo would figure it out fairly quickly that it was Kurama, but for her family the red head didn't need to be anything but what he appeared, unless he wished otherwise. "And a friend of mine."

Kurama bowed politely, and was invited to share lunch.

After the meal, Souta convinced Shuichi to play video games with him and Shippo. It was their grandfather's turn to welcome visitors to the shrine in the afternoon, so he was out telling stories to curious children and their parents, and Mrs Higurashi was in her office seeing to the accounts and keeping up her little online business – though Shippo had mostly taken over the money-handling for the family since he had come, and they were all the better-off for it.

"Okay, you've fooled Ma and Gramps," Souta said as he chose his character for the game, "but I know Kagome didn't have any male friends at her school except for her creepy-nice stalker Hojo, and he doesn't count. So you're a friend from the feudal era, which means you have to be a demon."

"Caught," Kagome groaned from the couch. She had decided to watch the video games while she did her studies, and right now she was glad that she had. "Don't go telling Ma and Gramps though, okay Souta?"

The boy nodded. "So what kind of demon are you?" he asked.

"I'm a spirit fox, though I am also human," Kurama answered, holding back laughter at how bright the boy was. "I helped Kagome steal some jewel shards from Naraku," he added, explaining how he knew Kagome.

Souta nodded his understanding. "Cool. So why the visit now? Kagome's been back for a bit over a month. Shippo got here the same morning Kagome got back!"

Kurama laughed at Shippo's embarrassed blush, but otherwise didn't comment about the kit's dedication to his mother figure. "I need a favour from your sister," he answered Souta, defeating him in the game and standing up.

"Ready to tell me what now?" Kagome asked, setting down her pen and inviting him to sit with her on the couch.

Kurama nodded and sat down again beside her. "My human mother is sick, dying, I was wondering if you could heal her."

Kagome blinked. "I can try," she answered. "There are some things that I can't do though. I'm limited by the body's own capability, the severity of whatever the problem is, and my own experience. If she's already dying, then I can probably only make her more comfortable."

Kurama hung his head. "I had another thought on how to save her, I just wanted to ask you first."

Kagome lay a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I said I'd try," she reminded him. "Souta, can you tell Ma I'm going out for a while? I'll be back in time for dinner," Kagome said.

"Sure, no problem Sis."

"Kagome-Okaa-san, don't exhaust yourself if you can't help, okay?" Shippo said firmly.

Kagome smiled and, getting up, kissed Shippo's hair fondly. "I'll be home for dinner," she said again, then turned to Kurama. "And you can tell me on our way there about this other option."

Kurama nodded and led her out of the house, explaining about the Forlorn Hope as they walked down the streets to the hospital.

"Hello Mr Shuichi. You're here to see your mother?" the receptionist asked when she saw the boy.

"Yes, and I brought a friend, if that's alright," he answered. "I'm not sure about the hospital's policy on faith-healers in their halls."

The older woman chuckled. "Don't tell the doctors you're giving up on them, it hurts their pride. No one is going to mind though, considering her condition. Go right on up."

Kurama nodded his thanks and led Kagome to the elevator, then through the halls to his mother's room.

"Shuichi, you've brought a friend to see me? And such a lovely young lady too. You've never brought a friend to see me before," the woman in the bed said, trying to sit up, only to fail. "I guess I'm not feeling quite so well today."

"Please don't sit up Mother," Kurama pleaded. "Have you eaten yet today? You know that you have to keep up good nutrition"

"Yes dear, the nurse brought me something earlier. Now will you introduce me to your pretty friend?"

"Of course Mother, this is Kagome Higurashi, she's a priestess. I asked her to come and see you, to see if she could do anything about your condition. Kagome, this is my mother Shiori," Kurama said, introducing the two human females, and taking his mother's hand in his.

"I never thought that I would see the day you turned to a faith healer Shuichi," Shiori said with a genuine smile and a weak chuckle. "Let alone a female one."

Kurama blushed when Kagome raised a curious eyebrow.

"I have a following," he admitted quietly. "I am beginning to genuinely dislike fangirls, and they are beginning to drive me to think of eternal celibacy."

Kagome chuckled at him as well and moved to the other side of the bed to take Shiori's other hand.

"What do the doctor's say is wrong?" Kagome asked.

"Some disease that has a terribly long name, and among other things makes it hard for me to breathe sometimes," Shiori answered. "And my body just seems unable or unwilling to fight it any more, even with all the different therapies."

Kagome nodded in understanding and, taking the Shikon no Tama from her neck to draw on it's power, bowed over the woman, spreading out her healing energy and seeking out the microscopic menace. Sighing when she found it, Kagome realised that this was something she didn't have the experience to properly fight against. Bones could be mended, cuts and abrasions could be fixed, poisons could be drawn out, and demonic influences could be purified, many viruses could be burned away. This wasn't exactly any of those, but more like a rapid degeneration of all the cells of the woman's body, and at such an advanced stage as this would react to none of her usual methods.

Still, she would do her best.

When Kagome released Shiori's hand, she was breathing a much easier, and was smiling in her sleep.

"I burned out the infection in her lungs, so she'll breathe easier, but that isn't what the real problem is. It was just a cold taking advantage of her weakened state. I added some strength to the rest of her body as well, and she should be able to fight whatever this is for a while longer. I'm sorry I couldn't do more about the real problem though," she said sadly. "I could use the Shikon no Tama to revive her, but she would still be sick and weak, because of the type of illness this is."

Kurama nodded in understanding.

"Thank you Kagome. I'll walk you back to the shrine."

When they reached the top of the shrine's steps, the sun was just beginning to go down.

"Kagome, what do you think of me stealing the Forlorn Hope to save my mother?" Kurama asked.

"I think it's a foolishness. What would your mother do with her health if she didn't have her son? I won't stop you though, I know that sometimes there are just things that you have to do for someone. Just, if you survive the whole thing, visit?" Kagome asked, gripping his shoulder firmly and looking him in the eye.

Kurama smiled. "Of course," he answered.

"So, want to come in for dinner?"

~oOo~

Kagome didn't see Kurama again until a month had passed, and she had begun to think he was dead when he crested the steps of the shrine one evening.

"I'm alive," he said, smiling. "I used the Forlorn Hope and I'm still alive."

"Well colour me impressed and very relieved," Kagome answered, her eyes glassy even as she grinned at him. "What was the catch? Something like this, I'd say there has to be one."

"I got caught and I'm on probation. I also hurt my best friend since my re-birth by repaying my debt to the person who saved me from dying by the mirror. Mother is well again though, and she insists on inviting you to dinner. I didn't tell her about the Forlorn Hope, so she thinks it was just your magic touch taking a little while," Kurama answered.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Now this is something I'd like to hear the full story of," she said, then shrugged, knowing that she wasn't likely to get it. "Do you want me to come to dinner?"

"It would make Mother happy," Kurama said, "and I wouldn't mind."

Kagome nodded. "Alright, I'll just tell my family, and you can give me the cover story I'll be feeding your mother on the way," she said, arching a knowing eyebrow at her friend.

Kurama smiled in relief. "Thank you," he said.

"Hey, I'm just as glad you're alive," Kagome answered, ducking into the house and calling out to her mother.

Five minutes later, they were at the bottom of the shrine steps and walking towards the Minamino household, Kagome still in her miko clothes – blue though, like her grandfather's priest robes, rather than red as Kikyo's had been.

"So how many favours will this be?" Kurama asked, having quickly explained his very simple cover of having gone to pray at the shrines and seen Kagome heal someone else, as well as recounting how he was still alive after using the Forlorn Hope.

"Kurama, you're my friend. Helping you out isn't an obligation that I'm going to keep score of," Kagome scolded lightly. "Besides, I'm getting a feed and a chance to get to know your human mother."

Kurama laughed. "Perhaps I can also ask your advice with another problem then?"

"Shoot."

"My fangirls..." Kurama began. "I worry if they are ever going to leave me alone. The fanboys are, while more subtle, even more terrifying." The red head shuddered. He couldn't deal with these fanatical young humans the way that he would with an interested demon. Killing them wasn't any more of an option than sleeping with them all, and both were unappealing as well.

"Date someone," Kagome answered. "Or make it look like you're dating someone. If you've got an exclusive partner, they'll probably leave you alone with their declarations. Make sure you pick someone who can stand up for themselves though, just in case your mob decides to get nasty about you having picked just one."

Kurama was silent until they reached his front door, thinking about what Kagome had said.

The dinner was a pleasant one. Shiori asked about Kagome's family, education, interests, and of course if she had a boyfriend, as she was so pretty.

"I had a few stalkers at one time," Kagome admitted with a gentle laugh. "Nothing dangerous of course, just boys who wouldn't get a clue. No Mrs Minamino, I don't have a boyfriend right now."

"Stalkers?" Shirori asked. "And please dear, call me Shiori."

Kagome smiled. "It's a long story, and not one for the dinner table. The short, _nice_ version is that like your son I had something of a fanclub, but I've managed to get away from all of them now, so it isn't a problem any more."

Shiori nodded her understanding, and they changed the topic to Shuichi's life instead, and Kagome helped clean up after dinner before Kurama walked her back to the shrine. Thankfully, it was only a few blocks away.

"So, thief," Kagome said teasingly once they were passed the fence of Kurama's home and no longer in danger of being overheard by Shiori. "What happened to your other friend?"

"Hiei? He's on probation as well, and quite unhappy with me I believe. Yusuke, the Spirit Detective, is currently training with an old psychic called Genkai," Kurama answered.

"Oh? I've heard of her from Gramps, apparently she's really quite tough. I wonder if I should pay a visit to her sometimes, but then Souta distracts me with a game and I forget again," Kagome said with a chuckle. "And if it's not Souta, it's Shippo, or my homework."

Kurama laughed with her as they walked. "Well, Yusuke will be with Genkai for at least six months is my understanding, so I recommend not going to visit for a while," he said.

Kagome nodded. "Well, looks like this is my stop," she said, seeing the steps of the shrine. "Don't be a stranger, alright?"

"Kagome, I don't suppose you would do me another favour?" Kurama asked suddenly.

"I'm listening, but the way you're nervous makes me wonder if I'm going to like it," Kagome answered, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Your advice earlier about how to deal with my more fanatic classmates, I was wondering if _you_ would..." Kurama seemed to catch himself then.

"Be your fake girlfriend?" Kagome finished for him, smiling gently. "Well, it means you'll be coming over often, won't it? Maybe even invite Shiori up to the shrine for dinner some time. Ma would enjoy the company I expect."

"Kagome..."

The young miko smiled at the old fox demon. "That is what you wanted to ask, right?"

He nodded.

"No problem."

Kurama sighed. "Thank you Kagome. It's a weight off my shoulders. Mother will be pleased that I'm seeing a nice girl, and I don't have to worry about keeping who I am and what I'm doing a secret from you."

Kagome smiled, glad to have helped him out. It seemed so minor though, compared to the way he had helped her train her energies, kill Naraku and get back the Shikon no Tama.

"Pick you up from school on Monday then?" Kagome suggested. "I'll make a picnic and we can go to the park. That should be demonstration enough for your fanbase."

Kurama hugged Kagome gratefully. "Thank you Kagome, that would be perfect."

Kagome laughed. "Just so long as you know that if you want to make it anything other than an act, you're going to have to get Shippo's permission first."

Kurama chuckled and released her from his hold. "Of course, he's your son after all. I'll see you Monday."

Kagome nodded and waved as she began the walk up the stairs.

~oOo~


	6. Chapter 6

Shippo watched as Kagome made and packed a picnic lunch like she had used to when he was young, and smiled when she explained why she was doing it again. He suggested a couple of foods as well.

"I think it must be a fox thing. I had a fanclub when I went to a school nearby as well. I solved it by projecting some of my aura so that people were uncomfortable around me. I guess since Kurama's not the same as he used to be, that's something he can't do any more," Shippo said, sneaking a rice ball.

Kagome laughed and dabbed a bit of cake mixture onto her son's nose. The cake was in the oven and nearly done, but there was a little bit of the mix still in the bowl. "Well, weren't you the sneaky one? Now, any suggestions on what this miko should wear for her fake-date with a that handsome fox?"

"What's this about a date?" Souta asked, entering the kitchen.

"My friend Shuichi asked for my help in deterring his many fans by pretending to be his girlfriend, so I'm picking him up from his school today and we're going to have a picnic," Kagome answered.

Souta's eyes got wide and he ran from the room. "Ma! Kagome's going on a date with Shuichi!" he yelled.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh boy," she sighed as her mother was towed in by her little brother.

"Tell her she has to marry him, not just help him out with his school problem!" Souta was begging as Mrs Higurashi smiled up at her daughter.

"Souta, leave Kagome be, if something comes from this, then good, but if not then we have to be satisfied with that. Kagome, have you decided what you're going to wear so that the girls at the school think twice and leave him alone?" Mrs Higurashi asked her daughter.

The oven bell went off at that moment, and Kagome went to get out the cake.

"No Ma, I haven't yet. I was just asking Shippo if he had any ideas," Kagome admitted, turning the cake out to cool.

"A red dress, to match Shuichi's hair," Souta suggested.

Shippo pulled a face. "Definitely not," he countered. "If Kagome wears a red dress to try and match his hair, and gets the red wrong, then it's going to look bad. Besides, red isn't Kagome's colour any way. She looks much better in blue or green."

Kagome smiled at Shippo gratefully. Due to the number of times she'd had to wear InuYasha's kimono, or red and white miko robes, she had many painful memories attached to that colour – however fondly she held some of them. Thankfully, Kurama's hair wasn't quite that same red. Besides, red dresses had certain ideas that went with them, and Kagome didn't want to give the wrong impression to Kurama _or_ his fans.

"How about this," Kagome suggested as she mixed some icing. "Everybody gets to pick an outfit for me to wear when I go and see Shuichi at his school, then I'll pick one of those, rather than having to go through my whole closet. Ma, you're supervising," Kagome added with a smile.

"Of course dear. Come on you two," she said, taking Souta up the stairs and followed by Shippo.

Kagome sighed fondly and continued to mix the icing. It was possible that one of Kurama's friends would drop in on their little picnic, so she wasn't going to skimp. What they didn't eat they would be able to feed to ducks, or something.

~oOo~

"Hey, who's that?"

"I don't know, but she sure is a cutie."

"Wonder what she's got in the basket?"

"Is she waiting for someone?"

"I wish she were waiting for me."

Kagome smiled to herself as she stood at the gate of Kurama's high school. The boy's uniform was a rather unfortunate shade of purple-ish pink, but the boy's uniform at her old school had been dark-blue grey and quite hideous as well. No comment.

"Excuse me miss, but I couldn't help but notice your exceeding beauty, and I was wondering if you might do me the honour of a date," a boy asked.

Kagome looked over at the speaker. He was handsome enough, with his well groomed black hair and bright smile, but she just smiled and shook her head.

"Sorry, I don't think my boyfriend would like that much," she answered.

He deflated visibly. "You're here to meet him?"

"Of course," she answered brightly. "I'm obviously not a student here," she added with a gesture to her dress. The school girls around her were wearing matching pleated skirts and double-breasted jackets in orange-tinted red with a gold stripe around their sailor-style collars and three pairs of gold buttons down their fronts. Kagome was wearing a mint green sun dress with a print of small white flowers around the edges. Shippo was very right to object to Kagome wearing a red dress to pick up Kurama, and not _just_ because it wasn't her colour.

"I was hoping you were picking up a younger brother," the boy said sadly, looking longingly at her form.

Kagome shook her head.

"Definitely not related," another voice said.

Kagome and the boy turned, and she beamed hugely at him while the boy dropped his jaw in surprise.

"Hello Kagome," Shuichi said, smiling at her.

"Hey Shuichi," she answered, still beaming.

"You weren't waiting long I hope? I forgot that I had clean up in class today," the red head slipped an arm around her waist as he spoke.

"No, not long. You must be very efficient at cleaning," Kagome answered with a smile, leaning into his gentle embrace. "I made a picnic for us," she said.

Kurama smiled and nuzzled into her neck and kissed her cheek. "Do you have a place in mind to enjoy it?"

Kagome giggled, playing it up but also genuinely ticklish. "Surprise me. I planned the menu, you need to make some kind of contribution to our date as well," she teased, still laughing.

"You're Minamino's girlfriend?" the boy asked, finally coming out of his slack-jawed shock at the way they were acting.

Kagome smiled dreamily up at Kurama, and the red head swallowed subtly in the face of her familiar features looking at him in a way that, as far as he could remember, they had never done before.

Seeing he wasn't going to get a verbal answer, but accepting what he saw as what it looked like, tried again. "Where- where did you meet?"

"Shuichi came to pray at our shrine for his mother's health. Mama insisted he stay for dinner if his own mother was unwell," Kagome answered. "I was so surprised to see him playing video games with my little brother when I came back in from sweeping the grounds," she added with a giggle.

"I was even more surprised to find that the shrine actually had a resident angel," Kurama said, squeezing her gently a moment. "I believe I know just the place for us to enjoy your picnic Kagome."

"Then gallant sir, escort me thither," she answered, allowing him to take her basket from her while she accepted his lighter school bag.

They had barely gone two blocks from the school when they were stopped by the cry of females from behind.

"Get away from him you witch!"

"How dare you touch him?"

"How dare you put a spell over him!"

"I bet you haven't even got anything in that basket!"

The two looked behind them in faked surprise. They had felt the presence of the crowd of females from the moment they left the school gates together. Looking back at each other, Kurama and then Kagome started laughing.

"Oh, oh that's too funny," Kagome gasped between laughter.

Kurama gathered himself admirably and turned to the crowd behind them. "Everybody, I asked Kagome to go out with me some time ago, and she has only just recently agreed, after having a history of problem men in her life and not wanting another. Now, if you will excuse us, I am very interested to find out what Kagome has cooked."

With that, Kurama put his arm around Kagome's waist again and led her away to the park near where he had first met Hiei, and not far from the playground where Gouki had been stealing children's souls.

"This is pleasant," Kagome said, looking around. "We have it _almost_ all to ourselves. Is that shadow in the tree your friend Hiei?"

Kurama chuckled and nodded.

"I'll remember the aura then," Kagome promised, taking the picnic basket back from Kurama and laying out the blanket. "He's welcome to join us if you don't mind. I made enough for if your friends dropped by."

"You don't mind that he's on probation?" Kurama asked quietly in her ear.

Kagome shrugged. "As long as he doesn't try and pilfer my necklace or threaten my family, I have no argument with him," she answered.

"It's very pretty whole," Kurama observed, looking a moment at the complete Shikon no Tama that Kagome, as its guardian, had come to wear around her neck at all times.

"You're not allowed to touch it either," she cautioned, kneeling on the picnic rug and taking out the food she had made.

"Rice balls, omelette, chicken... a whole cake Kagome?" Kurama asked, amazed by the foods laid out before him. "Did Shippo make suggestions?" he asked, wondering how she had known about some of the other foods she was taking out of the basket.

"Yes, a whole cake, and yes, he did. Are you going to call your friend down?"

Kurama chuckled. "Hiei, won't you come and meet Kagome?"

The black clothed figure appeared before them suddenly, but neither flinched in surprise.

"Would you like some cake Hiei?" Kagome asked, offering him a slice.

"Does she know?" Hiei asked, red eyes narrowed suspiciously at Kurama.

"Yes," he answered calmly.

"Are you really involved?"

"I'm just helping him get rid of his fanclub," Kagome said, taking a bottle of lemonade and a few plastic cups from the basket.

"Kagome, were you _expecting_ company?" Kurama accused teasingly.

"I suspected someone would follow us, so I made enough to share."

"Human, where did you get that jewel you wear?" Hiei demanded.

"My name is Kagome," she snapped. "If you aren't going to call me that, I've also answered to _miko_," Kagome added with a hiss. "And the jewel was ripped from my body by a centipede demon."

Hiei's eyes widened. He had heard of miko, and he had heard they no longer existed. He turned to Kurama in confusion.

"It's quite true Hiei. Kagome is a miko, and one who has my undying respect," the fox said, a slight warning in his voice that Hiei would do well to respect the girl as well. "How have you been lately?"

"I dislike being confined, particularly to a human city," Hiei growled. "It is impossible to get a decent night's sleep, and since the Shadow Sword was reclaimed by the detective and Spirit World, I haven't even a weapon to use to take out my frustrations on the surrounding forest area."

"You know that you are always welcome to stay at my house," Kurama offered. "A real bed would be more comfortable than a tree branch, I'm sure."

"Except that you would worry about your human mother finding me," Hiei growled before taking a bite of the cake he had been given. His red eyes grew wide and his body froze up. His gaze moved to the cake he held and he chewed slowly. "It's sweet," he said when he had finally swallowed, awe in his voice. He smiled and took another bite.

Kagome stifled a chuckle and handed Kurama a plate of food, which he accepted happily.

"You cooked all of this yourself Kagome?" Kurama asked, awe in his voice as well.

"I like cooking," Kagome answered with a blush. "It's alright, isn't it?"

"It is perfect," Kurama assured. "You were rather limited with what you had available to you last time we ate together, weren't you?"

Kagome shrugged. "I did the best with what I had," she answered. "Fish on an open fire can only be taken so far really."

~oOo~

When Botan flew down on her oar – parole officer to Kurama and Hiei – she was surprised to see them enjoying a lavish picnic with a human girl. She had thought that Hiei hated humans, and that Kurama disliked females because of the way they acted around him. The fangirl situation had been mentioned in his trial. Botan was even more surprised when the girl looked up and fixed her gaze on her face as easy as if she were wearing a flashing light. She was supposed to be invisible to all but the demonic and the dead, so how this girl could see her she didn't know, as she was clearly human and living.

"Would you like to join us?" the girl asked politely.

Hiei and Kurama both snapped around to see her, and Botan flinched under the intensity of their combined gazes.

"Uh, sure, if I'm not interrupting anything," Botan quavered.

"Just a friendly picnic," the girl said with a smile, loading up a plate and holding it out.

Botan landed and assimilated a physical form so that it wouldn't look strange – food disappearing without anybody to eat it.

"Er, I'm Botan, pilot of the River Stix, and parole officer for these two..." she said her pink eyes wide and displaying her shock.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi, miko, and guardian of the Shikon no Tama."

Hiei and Botan both spluttered. "The Shikon no Tama!"

"No, you may not touch," she said firmly, her brown eyes hardening as she covered the gem hanging from her neck. She'd told Hiei that it had been ripped from her side, but she hadn't said what it was.

"What is a human doing with such a powerful object?" Hiei demanded coldly.

Kagome sighed. He had _just_ been beginning to defrost slightly. Kurama answered for her.

"She's keeping it pure and making sure no demon loses his mind in the possession of it. Hiei, I have seen the effect even a fragment of this jewel can have on a demon. It is not a thing to desire," Kurama said earnestly.

Hiei snorted his contempt, but left the issue alone. If Kurama, the Makai's King of Thieves, said that the Shikon Jewel was a thing to be left alone, then he wouldn't touch it.

"So Botan, may I enquire as to the reason for your visit?" the fox asked the reaper girl taking up his cup of lemonade and sipping.

"Uh, just a routine check-up on your behaviour since the incident. I'll be checking on you once a week for the first month, once a fortnight after that until Yusuke gets back, then just once a month," the blue haired girl answered. "Have you been behaving?"

"Well, I caused a bit of a stir at Moriashi High earlier, but nothing demonic I assure you," Kurama answered. "I told my fanclub that I have a girlfriend."

"Which is why we're having a picnic now," Kagome added with a smile. "Lemonade Miss Botan?"

"Thank you. You're his -?"

"Cover," Kagome supplied with a small smile, handing over a plastic cup.

"Ah," Botan said with understanding. "What about you Hiei?"

"There's no where quiet enough to sleep, and I want some kind of weapon," the dark apparition answered with a growl, even as he took another slice of cake.

Botan backed away slightly. "Well I'm sorry you're not sleeping well, but Koenma can't authorise giving you a Spirit World weapon after your theft, and I don't think you really want anything normal like the kind that could be bought from a human weapons dealer. Not like you have the money to buy one anyway, and if you stole then your sentence would just be added to," she said, slowly going from apologetic to fierce.

Kagome whispered a question to Kurama, unnoticed by the other two, getting a shrug in answer, as well as a smile.

"You could stay at my family's shrine if you wanted Hiei," Kagaome offered.

Botan and Hiei turned from their glaring match to blink at her in surprise. Hiei recovered first, while Botan was still confused.

"Why would I want to stay in a holy place with humans?" the demon demanded haughtily. "I'd have to pretend to be human while there, and that is not something I like to do."

Kagome shook her head. "You wouldn't have to pretend to be any more human than you are right now. Gramps will only try and banish you once, but he's done that to my school friends and my little brother's as well. It's generally fairly quiet, and we've got plenty of room."

Botan came out of her blinking stupor. "You really won't mind having a demon on your property? I thought it was the mission of all miko to cleanse the human world of demons."

Kagome raised an eyebrow and the blue-haired woman. "I'm sitting here, serving lemonade and cake to two demons and the grim reaper. Do you seriously think I'm a traditional miko? Really, I don't mind."

"I think you should at least see the place Hiei," Kurama said quietly.

"Hn, alright Fox. I'm finishing the cake first though."

Kagome laughed and cut him another slice.

~oOo~


	7. Chapter 7

"Phew, Gramps is out," Kagome said as they reached the top of the stairs to her family's shrine.

"How can you tell?" Botan asked.

"His aura isn't anywhere on the grounds," Kagome answered simply. "Kurama, you want my Ma to know or leave it alone?"

Kurama shrugged. "Since she's used to demons, perhaps it would be better if she knew."

Kagome nodded. "Right. Well, come on in everyone, I'll-"

"Kagome-Kaa-san!" yelled a large brown blur.

"Ah! Shippo, a little more warning!" Kagome yelped as she was tackled to the ground.

"Sorry, I just felt unfamiliar energies hanging around, I wanted to make sure you were safe," the brown blur proved to be a young man with a ponytail and handsome features.

"Shippo, this is Hiei and Botan. You remember Kurama of course."

"Well duh I do," Shippo said, getting up and helping Kagome off the ground. He turned to the two strangers and bowed politely. "Nice to meet you, my name is Shippo Higurashi."

"It's nice to meet you too Shippo. Um, why did you call Kagome your mother? She doesn't look old enough to -" Botan said, stuttering a little bit.

"Long story, not in the yard," Kagome interrupted. "So let's go inside. Shippo, will you get Souta and Ma? I'll make tea for everybody."

Shippo nodded and ran into the house, while Kagome and the others walked more calmly. It took the best part of an hour, but a nearly full story of Hiei, Botana and Kurama was told to the present members of the Higurashi family, and the much _less_ full and heavily abbreviated story of Kagome's journey through the well was told to Botan and Hiei.

Botan called up Koenma on her communicator.

"I see no problem with it," Koenma stated. "If Hiei wants to stay there, he seems to be welcome to. As for Miss Higurashi, it's a bit late to be worrying about the well, as it seems to be sealed already."

"Very good sir," Botan said, closing the mirror. "I guess that's that then. I'll see you in a week."

"I'll make dinner," Mrs Higurashi promised the girl as they walked outside so that Botan could summon her oar and take off.

"Bye everyone!" Botan called with a wave as she flew away.

"I'll show you to a room Hiei," Kagome offered, while Souta and Shippo both dragged at Kurama to play video games with them again. "And then I'll give you the tour of the shrine."

"I don't need a tour," Hiei stated.

"Tough. Besides, I thought you wanted a weapon?" Kagome said, dangling the bribe before the demon.

"You keep weapons here?" Hiei asked, clearly surprised.

Kagome nodded, a smile on her lips. "Oh yes."

"Hn, very well."

Kagome smiled in quiet triumph and led Hiei to a room on the second floor of the house, pointing out doors and saying what was behind them on the way, with a warning to avoid her grandfather's room – a caution given to preserve everybody's sanity. Kagome gave Hiei the room at the end of the hall, with a window that opened out into the wooded area at the back of the property.

"We're not a big shrine," Kagome said, leading Hiei back down the stairs, "but we are very rich in history. The Tree of Ages, the Bone Eater's Well, the Shikon no Tama, various relics," she continued, heading towards the storage shed. The items that the shrine had on display were either innocuous, such as the mummified hand of a water imp, or fake, like the Shikon replica sitting on a cushion for the visitors to look at, all accompanied by an information board. The swords were not on display though, except for their 'yearly airing' that her grandfather performed with much ceremony.

"Recently added to the collection were the Tetsusaiga, the Tensaiga, and the Tokijin, all demon swords," Kagome said, leading Hiei into the depths of the store. "The Tensaiga isn't what you're after of course, as it heals. It can save lives and send the undead back to their place in hell, but it can't kill otherwise. The Tokijin I had to purify of it's demonic aura, as it attempted to possess anyone who tried to wield it. Even after all that and five hundred years in the Bone Eater's Well, handling it just plain risky."

The two swords had shown up at the bottom of the well just yesterday, and Kagome had cried for a little while, thinking that Sesshoumaru must be dead for his swords to be sent to her – likely by Rin's hand or Jaken's, unless Sesshoumaru had brought himself to the well as he was near death.

"As for the Tetsusaiga," Kagome continued, "that sword chooses who gets to wield it. It will let any human into its protective barrier, but humans don't have the power needed to use it. If you can use it, then it has the power to destroy a hundred enemies with a single strike."

"It looks dull and rusted," Hiei commented.

"Yeah, it's a pretty good trick really. It looks useless to humans, and is very selective about which demons pick it up. Of course, simply being able to hold it is only half the deal with the Tetsusaiga. We've also got a fairly decent collection of normal swords, left by the samurai, or perhaps by demons who didn't suffer samurai," Kagome said, chuckling at that last thought. Sesshoumaru certainly had little patience for the human warriors, and may have indeed left a few of these swords at the village under Kaede's care so long ago.

"What's the trick with the Tetsusaiga?" Hiei asked.

"You have to have someone to protect," Kagome answered solemnly. "I'll leave you to choose your weapon, and call you when dinner is ready."

Kagome left the store room and half-closed the door behind her, looking over her shoulder at the demon who had an aura of both fire and ice before leaving him in peace.

~oOo~

Kagome made sure to take her grandfather aside the instant he got home so that she could explain to him about the most recent demon lodger in the house, and that he was under no circumstance to throw seals or sutras or _anything_ at him yelling 'demon be gone'. This caused the old man to grumble a bit, but he relented at the fierce look in his granddaughter's eye.

Hiei joined the family at the dinner table and was silent throughout the meal unless questions were directed specifically at him, in which case he gave short answers to discourage further questions. Kagome noted silently that he had chosen a human blade to hang at his side, and wondered to herself if he had tried to pick up the Tetsusaiga at all. Then again, few demons were inclined to admit that they had something or someone to protect, so he may not have bothered.

She sighed as she washed up the dishes. It would have been nice to see the Tetsusaiga in action again, not that there was all that much action to be had these days.

~oOo~

Botan's visits were something Kagome quickly began to look forward to. The girl was a bit air-headed without the threat of emergency, but the effect she had on Kagome's grandfather was something she didn't think she would ever get tired of. Kurama usually visited the shrine at the same time, so that Botan wouldn't have to track him down at his own home or at school, which made both Souta and Shippo very happy. Hiei probably liked to see the red head as well, though he clearly refused to admit it if he did. Shiori visited them a few times as well, and was best friends with Mrs Higurashi very quickly.

Hiei took to training out the back of the house where visitors to the shrine wouldn't see him, and even allowed Kagome and Shippo to be his opponents sometimes, which helped them keep their own weapon-skills sharp. It didn't take long for the demon to develop a grudging respect for the miko and her 'son'.

Kagome continued to meet Kurama at his school's gates as well, and they had various sorts of dates in many different public places, keeping the fans away from the poor red head. They even spent a few of the weekends together – usually training with Hiei, but sometimes out where the fangirls could see that their precious Shuichi was still dating the rumoured home-schooled girl from the shrine.  
It was on one of those dates that Kagome spotted them. A few rather disgusting bugs crawling into some boys who didn't seem to notice them at all. Unable to help herself, she yelped and ducked behind Kurama.

"Kagome?"

"I hate bugs!" she cried, even as the boys headed off to another part of the city. "Sorry Kurama," she whispered, peeking over his shoulder to see that the boys were gone.

"Let's get you back to the shrine. Those were Makai insects, and they'll mean some kind of trouble for the world if something isn't done about them," Kurama said, wrapping a protective arm around Kagome's waist and leading her back to her family's shrine.

They arrived as Kurama's communication mirror went off in his pocket – a device Botan had delivered a while ago in case Koenma needed to contact them while she was occupied.

"Hello Koenma," Kurama said, the mirror open in his hand.

"Kurama. There is a situation. I've sent Botan to get Yusuke, but he's going to need help. The four Saint Beasts are demanding to be released into the human world. They also have the makai whistle, which they're using as their bargaining chip," Koenma said, his young face very serious despite the pacifier.

"That would explain the presence of the makai insects we just saw," Kurama said.

"I want you and Hiei to meet Yusuke at the edge of the City of Ghosts and Apparitions, and help him defeat these Beasts and retrieve that whistle. We can't give into their demands, and we can't let them continue to terrorise human world remotely with that whistle," Koenma explained.

"Hiei will want to know what's in it for him," Kurama stated, with the undertone that he wanted a good deal for himself as well. "He doesn't care what happens to the human world."

Kagome smirked where Koenma couldn't see her. Hiei didn't care about most of human world, that was true, but he might mind if the ice cream ever ran out.

"You'll both get a clean slate. Criminal records expunged. Hiei will still be on parole, he's too dangerous to let slip off the radar after only six months, but I'll shorten it a bit," Koenma negotiated, thinking fast.

Kurama nodded. "I think that sounds fair."

"Good! We've created a small breach in the barrier around Maze Castle for you to get in," Koenma started explaining.

Kagome excused herself to get Hiei, as the details were things she didn't need to know. She wasn't going on this mission after all.

Kurama closed the mirror when Kagome and Hiei appeared at the front door of the Higurashi family house.

"Let's go," Hiei stated. Kagome had already explained about the deal Koenma had made with Kurama when she found him training out the back.

"I'll have bandages and ice cream ready and waiting for when you get back," she promised, giving them both a hug before they disappeared.

"Thank you Kagome," Kurama said, returning the hug.

"Hn."

For her part, Kagome went to collect Souta from school and put a barrier around the shrine to keep the insects out. When Kurama and Hiei returned with two strange boys over their shoulders a few hours later, Kagome didn't give her grandfather a chance to so much as gape before she flew into action with the promised bandages.

"This is Yusuke Urameshi, and the one with the unfortunate face is Kazuma Kuwabara," Kurama explained, holding his own wound while Kagome quickly treated the two unconscious boys.

"You promised ice cream, Miko," Hiei stated with a frown.

"There's a whole tub of chocolate ice cream with your name on it in the freezer," Kagome answered, moving from the two boys to Kurama. "So leave the vanilla one for everybody else, alright?"

Hiei nodded and disappeared from the room while Kagome looked at Kurama's injuries.

"So, why is Hiei the only one unharmed?"

"He's an apparition of dual natures, fire and ice," Kurama answered. "His opponent claimed to be an ice master, but really had skipped more than a few of his lessons."

"And those two?" Kagome asked, she knew about Hiei's dual nature already after all, and odd as it was for such opposing forces to be combined, Hiei seemed to be fairly content with his life.

"Kuwabara attempted to fight a creature many times stronger than himself, as did Yusuke. They are both lucky to be alive."

"Ugh..."

"Looks like one of them is waking up," Kagome commented with a wry smile.

"Kuwabara has an unfortunate fascination with attractive young women Kagome, so I suggest that you do not let him see you," Kurama advised. "I'll get him back to his house, and take Yusuke with us. I wouldn't want to impose on you, or force you to suffer through their antics."

Kagome chuckled, but nodded and left the room while Kuwabara slowly woke up.

"Huh? Kurama? What's going on? Where are we?"

"The human world," Kurama answered. "This is where Hiei has been living. It was closest, and I didn't know where you or Yusuke actually lived."

"Ugh, right. Well, I'm alright now, so help me get Urameshi to my place. I get the feeling shorty wouldn't want us to hang around," Kuwabara said, getting off the bed and moving to pick up the still sleeping Yusuke. "And I don't much like the idea of sleeping in the same building he's in."

"Of course," Kurama answered with a small smile.

~oOo~

"Hiei? Shippo? Kurama promised to take me to visit the psychic Genkai today. Do either of you want to come?" Kagome asked the two demons who were sparring in the back yard.

"Sis, why can't I come?" Souta begged, pulling on her sleeve.

"Have you finished all of your homework?" Kagome said, raising an eyebrow at her little brother.

Souta visibly sagged and went back inside. "Stingy," he mumbled.

"This Genkai, she's the one who trained that Yusuke person you patched up yesterday?" Shippo asked, breaking off his attack and giving Kagome his full attention.

Kagome nodded. "She's really famous as well. I've been wanting to meet her for a while, but Kurama talked me out of going while she was training her new apprentice."

"Sure, I'll come," Shippo said, smiling. "What about you Hiei?"

"It might be interesting to meet the woman who was able to put up with the Detective for six months," the dark apparition conceded with a shrug. "When does Kurama get here?"

"Couple of minutes," Kagome answered. "Long enough for you two to towel off," she added with a teasing smile. They may have been training hard, but they weren't sweating.

~oOo~

"Wow, she's got even more stairs up to her temple than we've got at the shrine," Kagome said, staring up at the impressive flight for a moment before shrugging and beginning the walk. "She's not in the city though, so I guess that kinda explains it."

It had been a half-hour train ride to reach the stairs, and it turned out to be another ten minutes of steady climbing. Kagome, the only full human of the group, raced up as fast as she could, challenging herself. She hadn't had such burning in her legs and lungs for a long time, and she was puffing a little when she got to the top, unlike her three companions.

"I'd say not fair, but you're demons," she said, straightening up.

"You must be Kagome."

The four companions looked up at the short figure on the porch.

"I am, Master Genkai," Kagome said, taking a deep breath and bowing to the old woman. "It is an honour to meet you."

"Likewise kid. Well, you came all this way, so come in I guess," she said, turning away from them and heading inside.

When everyone was seated and Genkai had set the tea on the small table, the old woman started the conversation with a few questions.

"How much training have you had in your powers?"

"A lot," Kagome said, glancing at Kurama. He had been the one who trained her. "But probably never enough," she added, turning back to Genkai.

"Someone who knows they can always improve, now _that's_ novel," Genkai said, smiling. "Why keep company with demons when you're carrying that thing around your neck?"

"Shippo is family," Kagome stated. "Kurama helped me to reassemble the jewel. Hiei is someone that Kurama has said I can trust, so I trust him."

"But you are a miko," Genkai pointed out. "My understanding of miko's is that it is their duty to purify all demons."

"I'm not a traditional miko," Kagome answered firmly. It was practically her catch phrase. "And I'm not an idiot. I've met humans who are worse than some demons, and I've met some demons that had lost their own will and gone mad with blood lust. I refuse to judge based on species."

Genkai nodded. "Do you want my training?"

"I have duties at my family's shrine that I cannot leave," Kagome said.

"That doesn't answer my question girlie."

"Kagome. Yes, I would appreciate your training, Master Genkai."

"I will give you tasks, trials, and instructions that you will be able to carry out at your family's shrine. I expect these three gentlemen will be glad to help push you, and may even decide to undergo some of this training as well," Genkai said, smirking as she picked up her tea cup.

"Thank you Master Genkai."

For a while they just sat in silence, drinking tea.

"Come, there are some things that I will need to demonstrate for you," Genkai said at last.

Kagome nodded, rose, and followed after the short woman.

The three demons exchanged looks before they followed as well.

~oOo~


	8. Chapter 8

Shippo was watching Kagome floating over the tip of the sword that had been set up for her training – rather than a spike, like Genkai had demonstrateed on – when he heard the sound of Koenma's voice in the next room.

"Hiei's going to disappear for a while it looks like," Shippo said. "Another mission."

"Well, my family had to worry about me going through the well for a couple of years, this is just the same, only he's better prepared for whatever it is than I was then," Kagome answered, focusing her energy into a small point to keep her away from the sharp edge of the sword.

Shippo sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."

"This one is going to be personal for him Shippo," Kagome said softly, closing her eyes sadly. "I can almost feel the anger in him."

"I guess I'm going shopping for ice cream then, huh?"

Kagome chuckled. "Might be a good idea. He'll be back soon enough, but I'll bet he won't be happy."

"Just what this shrine needed, a foul-tempered fire-demon," Shippo groused.

Kagome laughed, and would have messed up Shippo's hair if she wasn't so worried about keeping her precarious balance over the blade.

It wasn't long after Hiei left – only a few hours – that Kurama arrived at the shrine.

"Please, has Hiei come back? Koenma asked him to deliver something to Yusuke, but -"

"Sorry Kurama, Hiei isn't here. I'm not expecting him to come back until whatever this is has been settled to his satisfaction either," Kagome answered, not wavering from her place on the sword tip.

"What's the case this time anyway Kurama?" Shippo asked, shifting so that Kurama could sit on the couch beside him and talk to Kagome.

"Hiei's sister, Yukina, has been abducted. The concern is that if he gets to her captors before Yusuke, he'll kill everyone. They may be criminals, but it has been strictly forbidden for demons to kill humans in Human World since the barrier went up. Koenma doesn't want to have to punish Hiei, but if he causes anyone to lose their heads, then he's going to have to," Kurama explained.

"Then I suggest you get to wherever he's gone and keep an eye on him," Kagome said. "He needs an outlet for all that anger though. I suggest you just be glad he set up his chosen sword for my training, so he's only got his fists and bad temper to fight with."

Kurama sighed and stood. "Thank you Kagome, that is some relief. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, yeah. Go on, get out of here, before your pretty face distracts me so much that I fall off."

~oOo~

"Your sister safe?" Kagome asked when Hiei walked in through the door.

Hiei halted. "How did you know about that?"

"Kurama was very worried the other day, wanting to know if you had come back after delivering the mission tape to Yusuke. The idea of you having to be arrested for killing humans, however much they deserved it, was something he found very upsetting," Kagome answered with a gentle laugh. "So, is your sister safe now?"

"Hn, yes Miko, she's safe."

"Ya know, one of these days you're actually going to call me by my name Hiei."

"Doubtful. What are you up to in your training?"

"Like my shoes?"

Hiei blinked, wondering what that question had to do with anything, when he looked down to see that the shoes in question were actually metal cages with fires burning inside them, and Kagome's feet strapped to the tops.

"I can't just sit on a bonfire for a week, so this is a compromise until I have that kind of time," Kagome explained. "Shippo was just about to leave for Genkai's, to borrow a few snakes for me to sleep with."

"You are both dedicated and insane," Hiei said, his red gaze fixed on Kagome's face. He looked back down to her footwear. "They look ridiculous. I'm building a bonfire."

Kagome groaned, but went to call Shippo and tell him not to bother going for the snakes just yet.

"Hiei's building the fire," she said. "I'm not sleeping with snakes if I'm sitting on a bonfire, I don't think they'd like it much."

"Hiei's back dear?" Mrs Higurashi asked. "I'll do your shrine duties while you're on the fire, but perhaps you could do it where the visitors will see you? Then you will have visitors to explain to about the training you're doing. It might make it more bearable and less boring for you."

Kagome smiled. "Yeah, thanks Ma," she said, and left to help Hiei build the fire out front, rather than out back where he had intended it. "You can still practice with your sword if I'm not in the way back there," she pointed out.

Kagome was just about to take her place on the burning pile – under Shippo's supervision of course – when two figures appeared at the top of the shrine steps. One was human, the other however was considerably less so. A demon of almost intimidating stature and musculature. Their clean pressed suits and black sunglasses weren't exactly friendly either.

"Excuse us, but we are looking for the one called Hiei," the woman said.

"For what business?" Kagome asked, even as Shippo went inside to fetch him.

"Nothing to do with you, little shrine maiden," she said blithely, with a dangerously pleasant smile on her red painted lips.

Kagome frowned, holding back a growl at being talked down to like that, but Shippo reappeared with Hiei at that moment, so she only huffed and climbed into the fire, a barrier around herself so that she didn't get burned.

"What do you want?" Hiei demanded.

"Your presence has been requested as a special guest at this year's Dark Martial Arts Tournament," the woman answered, almost politely. "Attendance is not optional."

"Special guest at the Dark Tournament?" Hiei asked, his burning red eyes narrowed in suspicion at the two figures. "Who else are you 'inviting' to this event?"

"The Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi is required to attend, as is his friend Kazuma Kuwabara, and your ally Kurama," the woman answered. "A fifth person has been invited, but is not required to attend. You and your fellow team mates are free to find another fifth if you like."

"You have two months," the demon stated with a growl.

Hiei took off, intent on seeing Kurama, and finding out just who was delivering the Detective's 'invitation'.

Toguro, the one who had made his sister cry.

"As you know the teams are made of five. You'll have to recruit another fighter. For your sakes, I hope you find someone useful," the man said as he walked away, pulling on his greet coat.

"What is our chance?"

"Don't ask," Hiei answered the red head, turning to walk away.

"Hiei, does Kagome know about this?"

"She was sitting right there when I was delivered _my_ 'invitation'," Hiei growled.

"Perhaps," Kurama paused, "perhaps we could ask _her_ to join us in this fight."

"You want to take a _miko_ to face all those demons?" Hiei demanded with a sneer.

"Kagome, unlike you or I, is free to turn it down," Kurama pointed out.

"Have you thought of what her son will do to you for asking her?"

Kurama was silent. "I will only ask."

"She will say yes, you know she will, and then you will have to deal with Shippo. The oaf Kuwabara will need training."

"Come and get me when you can't stand him any more."

~oOo~

"Trouble in paradise?" a female voice sneered as Kagome was sweeping up the ashes after her week-long bonfire-sit. "Shuichi is too good for you. Rolling in dirt all the time."

Kagome looked up. The girl had short, blonde hair and bright blue eyes. At least one foreign parent, or a foreigner herself most likely.

"Well, when sitting in the middle of a bonfire a person will get a little dirty," Kagome allowed politely. "But how may I help you miss?"

"I am Yuki Hatsumoto, and I am destined to be Shuichi's wife," the blonde, Yuki, stated haughtily. "So you had better back off or else!"

"Or else what?" Kagome asked, trying not to laugh. Yuki was wearing stylish, form-fitting clothing, and her face was made up so well that she looked like she belonged in the movies, but her attitude was so ridiculously possessive over someone she clearly didn't know very well. "You'll call me names behind my back?"

Yuki was getting red in the face and marched up to Kagome, drawing her hand back in readiness to slap the dark-haired and soot-covered miko. The perfectly manicured hand came quickly, but Kagome caught it calmly.

"_Child_," Kagome said kindly, almost pityingly as she held the pretty little wrist captive. "I am not interested in what you _think_ your destiny is, and frankly I doubt that Shuichi is either. I will pray for you at the Tree of Ages, Yuki Hatsumoto, that you will some day know what love is. This obsession you have for Shuichi is _not it_. I bid you good day."

Kagome released the girl's hand and turned her back on her, returning to her task of sweeping up the ashes. She was going to spar with Hiei later. He had come to her saying he could no longer stand 'the oaf' and wanted to get in some training before the tournament, while Kurama was going to make sure Kuwabara wasn't immediately killed. Kagome, already approached by Kurama to be a member of the team, agreed readily. Hiei had actually been sitting in the bonfire with her since he got back.

"You witch!" Yuki yelled. "What spell have you put on Shuichi to make him suddenly fall in love with you?"

Kagome looked over her shoulder lazily. "There are no such spells," she answered. "Not that work. I do exorcisms and sometimes chant protections. Now if you will excuse me?"

"No! I'm prettier than you! How could Shuichi possibly want _you_ when he could have _me_?"

"It's very simple really," Kurama said, walking up the steps with the unconscious form of Kuwabara over his shoulders. "Kagome has the most beautiful and pure soul I have ever had the pleasure to encounter. Physical appearance has nothing to do with our relationship."

"If Shuichi had white hair and grew a tail, I'd still feel the same way about him as I do now," Kagome said, accepting the injured boy from her 'boyfriend'.

The blonde ran, eyes streaming tears, from the shrine.

"Is he improving?" she asked, sending a healing through the unconscious carrot-top.

"Yes, but he still needs much work," Kurama answered. "How is your own training going?"

"I was just about to spar with Hiei and Shippo. Would you care to join us while Kazuma recovers?"

Kurama smiled and nodded.

Kagome placed weights on her wrists and ankles before stepping out into the back garden which had become the training yard for the demons in the family, Kurama not far behind. Two hours into some very serious pounding – all three of the demons were fighting Kagome at once – Souta called out to them.

"Hey Sis! The ugly guy is waking up!"

"Souta that isn't nice!" Kagome answered with a yell of her own. "Give him something to eat and drink then send him out here when he's steady on his feet!"

"Got it!"

It didn't take five minutes before Souta was escorting the tall youth out to the back of the house.

"Hey! What are you guys doing beating up on a girl?" Kuwabara demanded. "That goes against my honour code! I'm gonna have to beat all of you guys up just so I don't feel sick form watching this!"

"Shut it oaf," Hiei said. "We are doing this because she asked us to."

"Can't get stronger if I don't work for it," Kagome said with a slight puff, dodging a bit of Shippo's fox fire.

"But beating up girls, it's just wrong," Kuwabara insisted.

"You will find that not everyone shares your sense of chivalry," Kurama said with a frown.

"Least of all other girls!" Kagome added. "Real nasty fighters, some of them. A manicure is just a long and pretty word for sharpening claws."

"I still don't like it."

"Then fight Shippo," Souta suggested. "He and Sis have a hard time fighting each other anyway cause they're so close."

"You mean, he's like, her boyfriend?" Kuwabara asked the boy.

"No, he's her son. Kurama's her boyfriend. Duh!" Souta answered going back inside to play his video games. This was serious training, and while he thought it was cool that his older sister could do that kind of stuff, he'd rather stick with soccer.

"What?" Kuwabara demanded loudly. "Son? Kurama?"

"Don't dwell on it Oaf," Hiei advised.

Shippo jumped away from fighting with Kagome and went up to Kuwabara, looking him up and down. "Oh yeah, we've got a lot of work to do," the fox demon said, dramatically despairing at the task he had just been given before a grin spread over his face.

~oOo~

"It's about time this tournament day arrived."

"Now we can kill all we want without those pesky hunters coming after us."

"And imagine our powers once we've gotten that prize."

"We're the ones who are going to get the power! Go home if you don't want to die!"

"Obviously you haven't seen us fight yet!"

"I think I smell a human over there!"

"Maybe he's come here to be our dinner."

Kurama, Hiei and Kuwabara stood together at the edge of the mass of demons who were all itching to take place in the Dark Tournament.

"Ugly bunch, aren't they?" Kagome asked, stepping out of the darkness to stand with them, once again wearing the emerald green clothing that Kurama had given to her from his collection of stolen garments from the mainland when they had met five centuries previously.

"Why Kagome, I'd thought you had lost that. I'm glad to see you still get use from it, though it might get a bit torn up in the tournament to come," Kurama said, smiling at the girl.

"Of course I still have it! It's my favourite outfit. I even made a few more just like it myself when I got the time," Kagome answered with a bright smile.

"Urameshi still hasn't shown up yet. What could that dummy be doing now?" Kuwabara demanded, determinedly ignoring that there was a girl on the team. He didn't like the idea of a girl fighting, even if she had proven to him just how strong she was.

"Why don't you worry about yourself Kuwabara? I saw barely any improvement in you from our fight two months ago," Hiei stated.

"Shut it shorty. I improved and you know it!"

"The ship is 'ere mateys, so lets try and get on board without any violence," said a bearded man with a peg leg and eye patch, as well as a hook where one of his hands should be and a pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Cliché much?" Kagome muttered, sparking a small chuckle from Kurama.

"Hey wait a minute sir, our team still has some stragglers!" Kuwabara said.

"Then we'll put a mark on their heads and send out a hit-man, standard rule o' the Tournament," the captain growled.

"Now now, that's not necessary!" a voice – male, and unfamiliar to Kagome – called out, drawing attention from everybody. "Sorry to keep you waiting guys."

"You nearly gave me a heart attack Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled.

"So that's what he looks like when he hasn't been beaten to within an inch of his life," Kagome said with a chuckle. "Young punk."

"These forest hikes really wipe me out!" Yusuke added, smiling stupidly as he leant against a tree for support, dragging his bag behind him.

There was another figure behind the boy as well, shorter than even Hiei and with their face wrapped up in a mask.

"Yeah, you look awful, oh wait, that's just you!"

"Yusuke," Hiei said, and that was all the warning he gave before he launched an attack.

Kagome bit her lip to keep from laughing as she watched, a hand on Kurama's shoulder to stop her from wrapping it around her stomach.

"Gosh they're fast, I can barely keep up with my eyes!" Kuwabara said quietly.

Yusuke grabbed the tip of Hiei's sword between his fingers, a few inches away from his neck, stopping the fight.

"Damn Hiei, is this how you say 'hello' to people now?" the Spirit Detective asked.

"Hn," Hiei answered, smirking. "I don't know where you've been all this time, but it seems you've improved your skills a little bit."

"Improved a little bit?" Kuwabara asked, still somewhat stunned. "Oh man, I'd say he improved a lot o' bits!"

"Don't be discouraged, that you were able to keep up with their movements means that you have improved as well," Kurama told the large teen gently.

Kagome moved to the small person who had arrived with Yusuke, and pressing palm to fist, bowed deeply. "Greetings Master," she said quietly. "I am pleased to see you well."

The brown eye that peeked out from the wrapped up head seemed to smile.

"Mind explaining who she is?" Yusuke asked, jabbing a thumb at Kagome.

"That is Kagome Higurashi," Hiei answered. "We had no way of knowing if _you_ would find a fifth fighter or not, so we recruited one ourselves."

"Oh, sorry about that."

"The guy is even shorter than Hiei!" Kuwabara yelled, staring at the masked fighter.

"Well, having a substitute fighter in the team is allowable," Kurama said diplomatically. "We are all required to participate, so we'll leave it to you who will be our fifth and who will be the substitute."

"Enough jabberin'!" the captain yelled. "Just get on the boat!"

Kagome held back from getting on board, along side the masked fighter. She recognised the aura instantly, but she felt it best to sort out the situation quickly.

"Master, would you have me fight and simply continue the training of your other student?" Kagome asked quietly. "Or will you take place by him in the ring?"

The small figure pushed Kagome forward gently, towards the boat, letting her go a few steps.

"Very well Master," Kagome said quietly, getting the message.

The masked fighter followed her up the gangplank.

"So, sorted?" Yusuke asked.

"I will be your fifth," Kagome said. "And it's nice to meet you, by the way," she said, holding her hand out to the boy.

"Oh yeah, we haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Yusuke Urameshi."

"Kagome Higurashi," she answered, smiling brightly. Blinking, she leant in sharply, examining his features and aura. "Well, whaddya know? You're one full of surprises," she said with a chuckle, straightening back and giving Yusuke his personal space once again.

"Kagome?" Kurama asked, confused.

She just shook her head. "Oh no, that's a doosey of a surprise, and I'm saving it up all for myself until it's ready to pop," she answered.

~oOo~


	9. Chapter 9

"I really liked that idea you had back on the ship Hiei, very smooth," Kagome said as they disembarked, the only ones still alive after the battle royal on the ship – apart from the captain – even Yusuke, who had fallen asleep the moment they had left the port, had survived without anyone else on the team defending him, and he was still asleep as they got off. Kuwabara was carrying him.

"Smooth enough that everybody stole it," Hiei said with a growl.

"Except that none of them were able to see it through," Kagome pointed out as they walked through the doors of the Hotel Kubikukuri, where they were staying. "Huh, nice place, all the rich hob-nobs with no morals and too much time on their hands."

"Your evening coffee, compliments of the hotel," the bellboy said, as he left them in their en-suite.

"Careful, it might be poisoned," Kuwabara cautioned.

"They want to see us fight. Poisoning us would be counter productive," Kurama pointed out.

"I can't drink coffee in the evenings," Kagome said tiredly to herself, picking up the cup and moving over to the side table. "You have it," she said as she handed it to the kid sitting there, three pink stars on his face.

"Huh! How did he get in here?" Kuwabara demanded, staring at the kid as he drank the coffee Kagome had given him.

"He came in through the door, like anyone would," Kagome said absently. "You forgot to knock though kid, try to remember next time, that's manners," she added, rubbing the boy's pink and yellow hat into his head.

"I just came because I heard about the special guests. I'm Rinku from Team Rokuyukai, who you'll be fighting tomorrow. You're so lucky, being special guests, you don't have to go through the opening ceremony or be told about the rules and the prizes, you just show up here and fight. Of course, you'll be dead soon," the child said, balancing on the handle of the empty coffee cup.

"Oh yeah, tournaments have prizes," Kagome said. "What is the prize for the Dark Tournament?"

"You get any wish you want," Rinku answered brightly. "I'm gonna wish to be really rich and famous."

"Don't you think you're talking too much?" a male voice said.

"When did he-?" Kuwabara asked, cutting himself short.

"Hey Zeru, I was just saying how-d'y'-do to our enemies," Rinku said, bouncing off the side table to stand before the taller, pale demon.

"Enjoy your last night among the living," Zeru said, going to the door. "By the end of tomorrow you shall bear a strong resemblance to your coffee cup," he added with a pointed look at the last coffee cup – Yusuke's, untouched – on the table.

It split in half, spilling the coffee everywhere.

"Nice trick," Kagome observed as the door closed. "Well, goodnight everybody."

~oOo~

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Koto and I'll be your cute host for this year's Tournament – and it's gonna be a messy one! For those in the first few rows, raincoats are available," the fox girl said from the centre of the ring. "Now here's the introduction you sports-fans have been waiting for: Team Rokuyukai! And this year's guests: Team Urameshi!"

"I dislike being called a traitor by demons I have never met," Kurama said quietly as they walked out.

"Hey, think of them as your fangirls when they found out you were dating me," Kagome teased with a gentle laugh. "They don't know the whole story, and they're angry because they're uneducated and think they've been wronged. That's all."

"I suppose you would forgive all of them anything," Hiei said.

Kagome blinked. "I believe in second chances, but I'm not going to forgive _everything_."

Hiei smirked. "I am glad that you are not _that_ naïve."

"Is that big idiot still asleep?" Rinku demanded, his eyes fixed on Yusuke while Zeru and Kuwabara made their terms for the fight.

"We are looking at one-on-one!" Koto declared happily. "Ooh, check this ladies and gentlemen, Zeru is emitting flames from his body! Don't you just love it!"

"I'll go first," Rinku said, stepping up to the ring.

"Oh yeah, this kid is definitely mine," Kuwabara said, stepping forward as well.

Kagome lay a hand over his arm to stop him. "What sort of experience do you have with little brothers apart from _being_ one? Let me," Kagome said, passing him and entering the arena before Kazuma could do anything to stop her.

"So are we fighting?" Koto asked.

"That we are," Kagome answered.

"Awe, don't be like that lady, let's play a little first," Rinku said, hopping up on his toes.

"If you like," Kagome allowed, smiling. "What sort of games do you enjoy playing?"

Rinku ginned and proceeded to bounce around, flipping and twisting and somersaulting in the air before attempting to attack her with a flying kick.

"You're pretty good at that," Kagome said, leaning to the side to avoid the kick which had come at her from behind, and then looking straight down at where the boy was waiting for her to find him. "Got anything else?"

Rinku laughed and jumped up, twisting to land his foot on the underside of her chin. His foot met Kagome's hand.

"Kid, you hit a girl in the face and she's going to like you a lot less very quickly," Kagome informed his many after-images, not particularly concerned by the dozen Rinku's bouncing around her.

"Bet you want to give up now, don't you?" the many boy's said, laughingly.

"Why?" Kagome asked, shrugging nonchalantly. "You haven't landed a real hit yet, and you didn't even notice when I took your hat," she added, pulling the bright hat on over her own hair. It clashed horribly with the emerald green outfit she was wearing.

"What?" Rinku yelled, halting suddenly and staring at her. "When did you do that?"

"Hm? A while ago, just before you tried to kick me in the jaw. So, had enough fun and ready to fight now?" she asked, smiling brightly and slinging the bow off her back.

"Is that your weapon?" Rinku asked. "You wouldn't be able to hit me with that bow! But I guess if you're going to pull out yours, then I'll show you mine too," the boy said, drawing his little pouch up from beside him and fishing something out of it.

"Yo-yo's? Wow kid, vintage. I haven't seen a yo-yo for years," Kagome said, smiling. "I applaud you for the originality of your weapon choice though."

"Wanna try? I call it the serpent yo-yo attack!" Rinku said grinning viciously before he jumped up and threw his yo-yos at Kagome.

"Serpent huh?" Kagome asked, slinging her bow back over her shoulder and taking a stance.

"With my energy going through the strings, you're as helpless as anyone trying to catch a snake bare-handed!" Rinku declared as the strings bent and wove around to attack her.

"See, your mistake is that you seem to think that's impossible," Kagome said, laying her hands over the heads of the yo-yo's and grabbing them in her fists. "Snakes are not a problem," she said sending her own energy along the strings back to the child. "Yours aren't venomous, and they aren't heavy pythons. Not a worry." She had, after all, been _sleeping_ with a few dozen of the slithering creatures as part of Genkai's training.

"What are you doing? Ow! What's -?" Rinku yelped, surprised that anyone, let alone a _human_, had been able to grab hold of his yo-yos, and even more worried about the way she was sending _her_ energy up _his_ strings.

Kagome gave the yo-yo's in her grasp a solid tug, pulling Rinku towards her. When he was a metre away, she stepped aside and allowed him to continue sailing onward. The child landed outside of the ring on the grass. Not a very hard landing, but the barrier that she immediately erected around him would keep him there until she felt like letting it down.

"Oh my! In an amazing turn of events, Kagome has used Rinku's own weapon to throw him out of the ring, and by the looks of the barrier around him, I don't think he'll be joining us again any time soon! One!" Koto said, beginning the count.

Kagome smiled. "No hard feelings kid, but I've fought real snakes before." _The normal kind, and the gigantic demon kind,_ she thought to herself. "Yo-yos just aren't as scary as fangs dripping deadly venom," she said, tugging his hat down over her own eyes and sticking out her tongue playfully.

"Eight! Nine! And ten! Winner by ring-out is Kagome Higurashi!"

Removing the hat from her head, Kagome gave a flourishing bow to the crowds that were booing and hissing at her, and hopped out of the ring, walking over to Rinku first and dropping the barrier.

"No hard feelings?" she asked, putting the hat back on his head.

"What are you?"

"I'm a girl," Kagome answered seriously. "Go on back to your team."

"You handled that very diplomatically Kagome," Kurama said, welcoming Kagome back to where the rest of their team was waiting.

"Little brothers. On some level, boys at that age are _all_ the same," she answered.

Hiei smirked at that, while Kuwabara took offence and Kurama got into the ring for the next match.

~oOo~

Botan was amazed. She had known that Kagome was a priestess, but this display had been her first time ever witnessing the girl's skills at all. It was unlike anything the Spirit Detectives had ever used. It was... kinder, somehow, even if Kagome herself seemed very playful in the way she had just used it.

"Now that's a chick I want to meet," Shizuru said with admiration in her voice. "Who is she Botan?"

"Her- her name is Kagome Higurashi. She lives at a shrine on the north side of Tokyo," Botan answered. "Kurama is probably the one who asked her to come, though I had no idea she had that kind of power or skill," the blue-haired girl admitted.

"Can we go down there now and meet her?" Keiko asked. "I want to slap Yusuke anyway, he needs to wake up. I mean, his team mate is getting beaten!" she added, pointing out Kurama being struck by the blue demon in the ring.

"I- uh- Sure, I guess..." Botan answered, leading the two girls out of their seats and down towards the front rows.

Kagome looked up at them just before they reached the barrier between the audience and the fighters. "Hey Botan, who've you got with you?" she asked.

"Kagome Higurashi, this is Shizuru Kuwabara and Keiko Yukimura," Botan said, introducing the girls.

"So, Kazuma's sister and -?"

"Yusuke's girlfriend," Hiei supplied with a smirk, having spotted the girls as well.

"Ah, I see. Well, come on and jump over, you'll just get eaten or fried or something if you stay there," Kagome advised, shaking her head at the girls.

"Koenma is here as well, since he's the official sponsor of Team Urameshi," Botan said when she landed on the grass. "I know you haven't had the chance to actually meet him yet."

"Is there some reason that you aren't all seated with him up in his VIP room? I know there's got to be enough space for you all, and you would be much safer," Kagome asked.

Botan blinked in surprise. "Um, well, I... hadn't thought of that..."

Keiko however was just marching up to the sleeping Yusuke, clearly angry with him.

"Yusuke, wake up!" she yelled, drawing her hand back to slap him awake. A gentle hand grabbed her wrist and stopped her though, and another hand lay on her shoulder. Turning in surprise, Keiko looked up to find Kagome.

"The boy will wake up when he's ready, don't rush him. We're really fine so far," Kagome said as Kurama walked away from his match the victor. "See?"

"Uhm, but..."

"No buts," Kagome insisted gently. "If you really care about him, you are going to have to accept him as he is, maybe even let go of him one day. Boys won't change for anybody but themselves, that's just that."

Keiko sighed. "I wish you weren't right," she said with a pout.

"I _do_ have a few years on you, I should have learned a thing or three by now," Kagome said with a gentle smile.

"You're-?"

"Seventeen, and if you're dating this boy, then I'm going to guess that you're fourteen, same as him, and same as that rather well-grown boy over there getting beaten up by his sister," Kagome said, jerking her thumb at the Kuwabaras, though she hadn't looked over to _see_ the pounding.

Keiko nodded.

Hiei stepped up to fight a furious Zeru.

"Anyone else getting the feeling that this is going to get hot?" Kagome asked as she watched the fighters square off. "Kazuma, help me move Yusuke away from the ring. Everybody stay close, I'm putting up a barrier to keep us safe."

Hiei was knocked out of the ring, and didn't bother to get back in as he summoned the Dragon of the Darkness Flame.

"Folks, it's only the first match of the Dark Tournament, but we already have ourselves a double knock-out!" Koto declared. "Hiei was out of the ring for almost a full ten-count when he vaporised Zeru, and since he didn't get back into the ring again, I can't declare either of them the winner in these circumstances!" She didn't seem too broken up over it though.

Kagome dispersed her barrier and went to check on Hiei's arm.

"So much for saving your impressive tricks until the really tough fights," she commented wryly with an arched brow. "Cute third eye, by the way."

"Hn. Just fix it. I _know_ you can," Hiei said, turning away to hide the blush that dusted his cheeks at the flirtatious compliment.

Kagome chuckled. "Yeah yeah, and you're going to keep on experimenting with that stuff, aren't you? Just like you were for the last two months," she said, feeding her healing energy into Hiei's right arm. "I'm actually tempted to leave you in pain for a while to teach you a thing or two about playing with fire."

"Hey Announcer Shiela, you look pretty hot, can you come here for a second? I got a question for you!" a tall, broad-shouldered, _drunken_ demon asked once he'd stumbled his way onto the ring.

"Um, what kind of question?"

"Two of our fella's just died, on accident. How can the team continue?" he looked like he might hurl for a moment, but he managed to contain it, still smiling around the toothpick in his mouth and with the flush of one truly lush spread over his cheeks.

"It doesn't matter how many die, each team is allowed only one alternate fighter," Koto answered, holding her nose so that she didn't have to smell the breath of the demon with the mohawk and dual tails of blue hair. "Rokuyukai can fight with Rinku and one alternate, if they find one."

"You sure about that?"

"I am a walking rule book! My entire life is this tournament. Of _course_ I'm sure!"

"Yeah! That means I can fight the these last two boys myself. I think that's really ripper," the demon said, standing up straight before staggering slightly. "Thanks for everything Sheila! Let's go you sods! I want to get a good fight in before my fun wears off!"

"Urameshi team, present your combatant!"

"Waking up to the smell of alcohol, can't help but feel a touch of home," Yusuke said, jumping up into the ring.

"Ning-nong," the blue-haired demon commented as Yusuke walked up to him.

"Actually, I agree with the lush," Kagome said as she watched Yusuke stretching out.

~oOo~

When Kuwabara woke up the day of their second fight from a nightmare, Kagome listened with a patience that amazed Yusuke as he talked it out.

"Any idea what it means?" he asked at last.

"Sounds to me like you're picking up the memories of other people's suffering," she answered. "I'd say you have a couple of options: either learn to put up barriers around your mind, ask someone else to do it for you, or get used to finding out about the suffering of others."

"I don't know how to do that barrier stuff," Kuwabara admitted. "And I don't know who would."

"Hiei could with his Jagan eye. It's a versatile little thing," Kagome said, smiling brightly.

"Yeah, but he wouldn't. He's not exactly the nicest of people if you hadn't noticed, and I'm not so sure I want him anywhere near my mind," the carrot-top said. "Actually, speaking of the shrimp, where is he?"

Kagome knew Hiei a bit better than Kazuma, having lived with him for a while, but she had noticed that Hiei was particularly derogatory of the large boy. She didn't bother to correct him about Hiei not being very nice. He wouldn't believe her. "He and Kurama went out on a bit of a nature walk. I suspect that Hiei is playing with fire again," Kagome said with a frown.

"Don't worry about it. They'll be back in time for our fight. I don't think they'd actually trust us to go it alone," Yusuke said.

"Uh, Miss Kagome? You can do barriers too, can't you?" Kuwabara asked. "You could fix me, right?"

Kagome sighed. It wasn't like this was hurting him, and if he wasn't going to go to Hiei in humility for the _best_ help, she wasn't going to give him her mediocre help. "I'm afraid not Kuwabara. I can do barriers generally, but the mind is a complicated thing, and a barrier within the mind isn't something to be taken so lightly. I wouldn't be able to see what I'd be doing very clearly if I tried to put a barrier up inside your skull. I could put a barrier around the wrong part of your mind, like the part that tells your heart to keep pumping, and kill you. That's why people who want barriers up in their minds are the best people to put them there, because they know what they want to block of or protect."

Kuwabara flinched back from the very idea of his own death and then groaned at the thought of even more hard work learning how to do barriers for himself.

"You know what? I think I'll just learn to live with it," he said, backing away uncomfortably.

~oOo~

"So you're Koenma," Kagome said, when the teenager with a pacifier in his mouth and 'Jr' on his forehead stopped them in the hallway and told Yusuke about a golden egg that would soon be hatching a spirit beast.

"Yes, and I would like to thank you Miss Kagome for putting up with my Spirit Detectives and helping them so much," Koenma said, bowing politely.

"No biggie," she said, waving it off. "Kurama and I go way back, and these two kids remind me of another old friend," Kagome added, jerking her thumb at the fourteen-year-old boys standing beside her. "Same irritating attitude, but with even bigger hearts the both of 'em. You could almost say I'm having fun," she laughed.

Koenma blinked in surprise, but smiled. "All the same, I am grateful," he said.

"Well then come around to the shrine for dinner some time," Kagome insisted before a stray thought popped into her head. "Or maybe you could find out what happened to the old Lord of the West for me? His name was Sesshoumaru.

"I'll look into it," Koenma promised with a smile.

"Thanks. Now, if you will excuse us, we have a fight to get to. Are the girls all up in the VIP room to watch this one?" Kagome asked.

Koenma nodded. "Of course you do, and yes, since Botan mentioned it I could see how that made sense."

"See ya 'round Koenma," Yusuke said, walking out of the conversation.

"Yeah, see ya," Kuwabara added.

"I'd better make sure they don't get themselves killed," Kagome said with a sigh, and with a wave jogged after the two boys.

"Quite the extraordinary young woman," Koenma chuckled to himself as he watched his team continue down the hall.

~oOo~


	10. Chapter 10

"What do you say? Up the stakes a little. If my team wins, I get your body," the greasy doctor said, pointing at Yusuke.

"Sure, but if our team wins then we get to rip your face off."

"Of course."

"Just one more condition," Kagome said calmly, calculating for herself how this fight would go since she had plied Koto with alcohol the previous night and got an overview of the team's previous fight, since she had been training at the time. "We fight battle royal. Three on three all at once."

The doctor turned, and Kagome could see him pulling out a calculator. She smirked at his foolishness. He really didn't have enough data on _her_ to be making that assumption. When the figure 99.95% appeared, Kagome didn't bother to shake her head at how foolish his calculating was when he failed to factor in how little he knew of the human soul. He was only concerned with a body's capabilities and its energy. A foolishness.

"You drive a hard bargain my lady," he said, "but I accept."

Kagome could see him practically cackling with glee.

"Alright we've got a three-on-three battle royal!" Koto announced happily. "It's the Doctor Ichigaki Team versus Team Urameshi! Last team with a member still standing in the ring will be the winner. Begin!"

Kagome stood back and watched a moment as Kuwabara and Yusuke fought, trying to get through to their opponents the only way they knew how. She only deflected the energy attacks that were aimed at her. She wasn't concerned. She was waiting for an opening.

Kuwabara went down, and she slung her bow off her shoulder, watching Yusuke becoming more and more furious with the situation.

Kurama and Hiei arrived at about that point, along with a robot that the doctor had created to keep them occupied. They attempted to join the fight, but Koto stopped them, saying that if they set foot in the ring, the conditions would be broken and the team would forfeit the match.

Kagome drew back her string when Yusuke was opposite her, the three fighters between them and with their backs to the miko. With three fingers pointing straight over her bowstring at the three young men, she called up the energy she used to purify the demons who had been made insane by the tainted jewel shards in the past, and made three arrows of that pure energy. Three glowing pink shafts appeared to her sight.

"What _is_ Miss Higurashi doing as Urameshi fights the three humans of the Dr Ichigaki team? She's drawn her bow, a first for this Tournament, but I don't see any arrows in her hand despite the quiver full she's wearing at her back," Koto said into her microphone, clearly confused.

Kagome released, then watched as her shafts of purification headed straight for the 'Verucci' on the backs of each of the fighters, burning them away from the humans, leaving the humans whole once more. Though they did all faint from the rather sudden removal.

"Oh wow! I'm not sure what just happened, but I love it! The three combatants of the Dr Ichigaki team are down! I wonder if Miss Kagome has invisible attacks just like these guys did?" Koto asked the audience.

"What the hell? I thought we were trying to _not_ kill them!" Yusuke demanded, though Kagome ignored him.

"Well, I've always been able to see what I was doing," Kagome said with a small smile as Koto came up to her. "Now, I believe the doctor agreed to letting us remove his face if his team lost, which I do believe just happened."

The doctor was backing away.

"Wait! I am the only one who knows where their master is and how to cure him!" he tried to plea.

"Sorry, moot point," Kurama countered, indicating a tired looking man leaning against the wall for support.

"After seeing his symptoms Kurama was easily able to make an antidote," Hiei added.

"So Yusuke, are you going to break his face or not?" Kagome asked.

"I might just break yours as well when I'm done with his," Yusuke growled. "But I am _definitely_ going to kick this bastard's ass before I do anything else!"

~oOo~

"You wanna explain that to me again?" Yusuke said as they hopped off the ring and the three fighters were reunited with their master. "You did what exactly?"

Kagome sighed. "Exorcised them. It's a thing that the feudal-era miko's could do, if they had any power that is. Basically, the 'Verucci' were demonic and possessing the humans. I exorcised the demonic... _things_ without harm to their genuine and 'good' human aspect. If I had used physical arrows, or if they had been truly evil people, then they would have been seriously hurt and possibly killed, but as I used arrows of pure energy, and they _weren't_ evil, they were fine. Just a little overwhelmed," Kagome explained, finally pulling her hands from Kuwabara's chest and withdrawing her healing energy from him. "There, all fixed. Rest up, and you'll be right as rain in the morning. So," she continued, talking to Kurama and Hiei as she moved to tend Yusuke's injuries. "What did you two get up to on your nature walk, apart from finding old men and big robots?"

"Oh, you know," Kurama said with a shrug, "just a nice walk in the woods and a battle for our lives against underhanded demons."

"The usual," Hiei added.

"Have fun, or do you need a check up as well?"

"Yes, and probably," the two answered together with a dry chuckle.

"May I have your attention please, the third round of the Tournament will begin immediately," announced a female voice over the loud speakers.

"What? Give me a break!" Yusuke yelled, even as Kagome finished healing his injuries and went to check Hiei.

"Furthermore, the Tournament committee has unanimously decided to begin the round in accordance to the match diagram, starting from the left. Team Urameshi and Team Masho, please report to the ring," the unknown female voice declared.

"What? Again?" Hiei asked, even as Kagome declared him fit.

Yusuke charged Koto while Kagome shook her head and checked over Kurama.

"Hey, why don't you tell your friends up there to let one of the other teams fight?" Yusuke demanded.

"I'm sorry sir, if you have a complaint you'll have to take it up with the committee," Koto answered nervously. "I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for their decision."

Kagome finished with Kurama, sighing heavily. "Okay, now everybody else is fine and _I'm_ tired," she said, standing and going over to the ring. "Hey, can we at least get some drinks while we wait for Team Masho to arrive?" she asked.

Koto blinked. "Should be do-able," she conceded.

"Hey Botan, get on your oar and get me some orange juice, I'm parched," Kagome said into Koto's microphone, smirking. "Sorry, I know you don't like people doing that, it was just fastest."

Koto smiled weakly.

"Yusuke, leave her alone. She's not the one your pissed with."

"Yeah, yeah," the boy grumbled, following the girl back to the grassed area where Botan had appeared with drinks for everyone.

"Calling Team Masho!" Koto said while the team already in the ring drank their juice. "If Team Masho fails to appear they will be disqualified."

With that, the team in question appeared in a whirlwind that set the hairs on the back of Kagome's neck up on their ends at their familiarity.

"No, Kagura has what she wanted, she has no reason to be here. Besides, I don't feel _her_ aura anywhere here," she whispered to herself.

Another gust of wind revealed that it was actually a tall, rather buff, red-haired demon with bright blue eyes and a horn on his head who was the manipulator of winds.

"Jin, the Wind Master," Kurama said. "Well, that explains who his team is. Masho must be a pseudonym. These are the shinobi of the apparition world."

"Shinobi?" Yusuke asked dumbly.

Kagome smacked her head with her palm. "What do they teach kids these days?" she asked herself, getting up and marching over to the boy. "Shinobi, warriors of the shadows, the hidden assassins, _ninja_. Get it? And these are shinobi with piles of power, which means: _take them seriously_," she said, jabbing a finger into Yusuke's chest with every word for emphasis. "Now get up there and make terms."

Five seconds later and Kagome had another thing to say about at least one of the shinobi. "I love the way he talks."

Hiei and Kurama both laughed at her.

"I hope that doesn't mean you're not going to let me take you out on dates any more," Kurama said, slipping an arm around her waist.

"Oh, come on, I can appreciate that he's handsome and has a really nice accent, can't I? You know you're the only red-head I'm ever going to date," Kagome promised, laughing at the way he was teasing her, and then even more as he blushed at her teasing.

"May I have your attention please," the female voice of the speakers said.

"I'm beginning to dread her voice," Kuwabara growled as he squashed his drink can.

"The Tournament committee will be instituting a medical examination before the next round," she continued.

"What is this, gym class?" Yusuke demanded as he hopped down from the fighting stage to the grass of the ring.

"Due to the Urameshi Team fighting without rest, and in accordance to section 13 of the Tournament index, report to the medical tent," the voice said.

"As long as they don't grab my balls and make me cough," Yusuke said.

"Thankfully, we are all fit and fine now," Kagome said, "so there won't be any problems."

"Except that _you_ are still tired from healing us all," Kurama pointed out as they turned towards the tent.

From within emerged a very fine female specimen. Luscious curves and thick red hair all in a short, purple, nurse uniform.

"Scratch what I said before," Yusuke said as he watched her walking towards them.

Kagome rolled her eyes and was very tempted to hit him upside the head.

"Hello gentlemen," she said, her voice low and purring. "Ma'am," she added to Kagome, then extended her hand, likely to feel their levels of energy. "This is very surprising," she said at last, looking over them all again. "After all you had been through, I would have expected you to be in much worse condition than you are. As things stand, Miss Kagome, would you accompany me to the medical tent?"

"You have your clipboard right there, and I promise you that there isn't anything in that tent that's going to help me unless you've got a beanbag I can sit on to watch the fights until it's my turn," Kagome answered firmly.

The red head was surprised and clearly put out. "You aren't in a position to refuse, Miss Kagome. I'm afraid this is mandatory."

"And I'm afraid I'd rather be treated by someone with a medical certificate, not just a pretty nurse dress. Oh, _fine_," she said, getting up from where she had been sitting. "But I'm telling you, I'm just a bit tired, _that's all_."

"Do you have medical experience?" the nurse asked as they walked.

"Yes," Kagome answered firmly. "Do you have experience of being _purified by a miko_?" she growled back.

The nurse pulled up short of the tent and smiled almost nervously. "Please, just a few questions then."

"You have ten seconds, and then I'm going to steal your chair and sit down _out there with my team_," Kagome informed her.

"I'm afraid you will have to stay right here for observation, exhaustion could cause problems you know," the demoness stated, raising a forcefield and removing her nurse's uniform to reveal her nature.

"See, that's where you're wrong," Kagome said, grabbing the chair just as she said she would, and walking right out of the tent.

"But- but how?" the demoness demanded.

"I've always had this problem with non-physical barriers," Kagome said sweetly. "They just don't seem to stop me, going in or out. I think just about everyone that I know has found this very frustrating at some point," she said as she walked out. "Thanks for the chair," she added with a wave over her shoulder as she went back to her team.

She noticed Jin was sat down by the wall on the far side himself, watching her intently, but clearly not getting up any time soon either.

"He said something about not being in the mood if there were going to be fight fixers," Kurama told her.

"That's real nice of him," Kagome said with a surprised but genuine smile, waving to him.

He waved back with a smile of his own.

"I thought I was the only red-head you'd ever date," Kurama mock-pouted quietly.

"I didn't expect any other red-head to take an interest," Kagome answered with a smirk and a giggle before she sat down on her stolen chair.

~oOo~

Gama had locked Kurama's limbs and he couldn't move, despite having just won the fight by manipulating his whip with his hair.

"Permission to be removed by my team mates please," Kurama said to Koto. "I'm a bit weighed down at the moment."

"Yeah, I'd say we can allow that," Koto said. "Kurama has requested to be removed from the ring, as he is unable to remove himself. Urameshi Team, step up and remove your combatant from the ring."

Yusuke and Hiei immediately went to Kurama and helped him move his heavy limbs from the ring, while Kuwabara stepped up to fight against the next combatant.

"Great, I get the shrimp," Kuwabara said, staring down at his opponent. "I swear, this guy is as short as Hiei."

"And it's Kuwabara versus the Ice Master Touya! Begin!"

"He's going to get his butt frozen off," Kagome said as she checked Kurama for any injuries. There wasn't anything she could do about the paint and its effects. They would just have to wait for that to wear off.

Kuwabara flew out of the ring fairly quickly, his hands and feet locked in icy shackles.

"And it's a victory for Team Masho, making it one all!" Koto declared happily.

"I'll fight him. I've fought ice warriors before, but if anyone is a master, it is Touya," Hiei stated, walking up to the ring.

"Ooh, it's fire against ice as Hiei faces off against Touya!" Koto yelled happily. "Will Hiei melt his competition, or is Touya going to put out the fire? Only one way to know, fighters take your stances and begin!"

"Having your blade attached to your arm like that is impractical," Hiei informed Touya as a sword of ice formed around the shinobi's hand and wrist. "You do not have the manoeuvrability of holding the blade in your hand."

Kagome didn't bother to watch the fight, but chipped away at the ice binds holding Kuwabara. He'd get frostbite if he wasn't released soon. She could treat frostbite, but only to a certain extent.

"Hiei has been frozen solid," Kurama informed them. He had been watching the fight intently. "I believe that Yusuke is getting rather upset by it."

"He should know better," Kagome answered, still not looking up. "Five, four, three, two, one -" she counted, even as Koto reached seven in her own count.

Hiei broke through the ice that held him, bright orange flames licking at his fists.

"The mortal flame has its uses, I think you can agree," he just about purred at Touya before he began a volley of punches, ending with knocking the ice master out of the ring and into the far barrier, just to the left of Jin.

"And ten! Those must have been some absolutely _brutal_ punches Hiei was throwing because Touya is definitely not getting up. Match goes to Hiei of the Urameshi Team!"

The female committee announcer declared it a double knock-out however, as Koto had delayed her count for Hiei when he was frozen solid.

Hiei hopped off the ring, not particularly bothered, and went to where Kagome was still chipping away at Kuwabara's ice shackles.

"Allow me," he said, holding his mortal flame near the blocks of ice. "That should be a lot faster."

It was. It only took seconds to get the rest of the ice off Kuwabara, and then he was up and determined to charge back onto the ring.

"Will you give it up? You lost a fight so your out, end of story," Kagome instructed, pulling Kuwabara to sit down again as the largest member of Team Masho entered the ring: Baccus.

"Don't worry about it Kuwabara, I got this guy," Yusuke informed his friend, walking up to the ring with a smirk on his face. The guy may have been huge, but Yusuke was pissed – mostly at the committee, but he wasn't above using that anger to get him where he needed to be.

"He's being cocky again," Kurama said with a frown.

"It might be justified this time," Hiei answered.

Baccus began to sweat out his mist, and the sounds of fists meeting flesh were muffled in the shrouded ring until a shaft of blue light cut through the rather pungent cloud-cover. Yusuke was then able to be viewed as he pummelled the large man to within an inch of his life before throwing him out of the ring and into the audience.

Even as Koto announced that the winner was Yusuke Urameshi of Team Urameshi, Kagome could see Jin standing up, a curious and very pleased looking smile on his face. It was a hard fight, but one that both combatants seemed to enjoy thoroughly by the time it was over, even if Jin did faint in the stands after the blast of spirit energy he took that finally ended it. Yusuke was just about raging when he was disqualified from fighting again due to having continued to fight when he had been out of the ring and in contact with another solid surface for longer than ten seconds – something that for once had the demonic audience siding with the human team. Including the double knock-outs, it was four wins to three, though in Team Urameshi's favour. Kagome stood as the only member of the team who had not lost, been disqualified, and was still in any kind of condition to fight, and walked towards the ring to face the final opponent, Rishou.

"Hell no!" Kuwabara protested. "I can't stand the idea of you fighting these guys. It's just not right! You're still tired from makin' sure we were all good to fight again so quickly!"

"Kazuma Kuwabara, you can either stand aside and let me fight him, somehow get Kurama miraculously ready for the fight, or we can concede the whole mess," Kagome said. "I am _going_ to fight him."

Kuwabara stood aside, frowning.

"Hey," Yusuke said, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder before she climbed up onto the arena, forcing her to look at him. "Be careful. Something about that guy just seems dangerous to me."

Kagome smiled. "That's sweet of you to worry," she said, pulling herself up and walking up to Koto, ready to face her opponent.

"So, little girl, what will you do when you face me? And so low on your energy as well I notice," Rishou observed with a sneer.

Kagome looked him up and down. "Let's see, skin-tight grey with sashes in two different browns, a fashion mistake if ever there was one, especially for someone as skinny as you. Bandages and small round pieces of armour, I suppose that can be overlooked as everybody on your team seemed to have them. Altogether the _wrong_ haircut for your face, and from how greasy it looks I'd guess you don't even wash it. No, definitely won't lose to someone who looks like you," she said raising a disdainful eyebrow at him.

Koto nearly burst out laughing. "After giving the imposing Rishou a run-down of all his fashion mistakes, I hope Miss Kagome is ready for a fight, cause he looks mad!"

"I am going to bury you alive," Rishou growled.

"Fighters ready? Begin!"

"Now remember, no hitting the face, or girls won't like you," Kagome said teasingly, stepping forward to take her fighting stances.

Rishou by contrast stepped backwards to take his, only growling before launching hits, kicks and punches at almost incredible speed. Kagome took them all, letting herself be pushed back, only defending.

"I can't believe it, Miss Kagome walked into the ring so full of confidence, and here she is now taking what has to be the beating of her life!" Koto said into her microphone. "I love the way this girl takes to pain."

"Actually, it's not that big of a deal," Kagome said, disappearing from in front of Rishou and appearing beside Koto. "He hasn't _actually_ hit me yet," she explained with a girlish giggle. "Just my barrier."

"What?" Koto and Rishou asked at the same time.

"Think of it as an energy shield. You've seen Yusuke's energy being used as bullets, or as extra power behind his punches. Kuwabara channels his energy like a sword, and me?" Kagome said, leading Koto to fill in the blanks before she ducked away from the hostess so that Rishou didn't hit the fox girl by mistake.

"Did you hear that people? Miss Kagome is _unharmed_ thanks to skilful manipulation of her energy! But a gal's gotta wonder, when is she going to do anything about offence?" Koto declared to the masses.

"Now now, have to give the-" Kagome laughed mockingly a moment, "the _man_ a chance to show off his own tricks. After all, we've seen paint made from blood, an ice master, a guy who makes mist from his sweat, and a wind master. So what can Rishou do?"

Rishou scowled. "I will make you regret asking that," he stated, hopping out of the ring and summoning his armour of clay.

"Ooh, well, _dirt_, that explains why you were wearing grey, so the mud stains didn't show up as clearly," Kagome taunted with a grin. "I thought you said you were going to bury _me_ alive, and here you are pulling all that dirt up around yourself."

"In addition to being excellent for defence, my armour turns my whole body into a weapon," Rishou declared. "Let me show you how. Meteor!" he yelled, jumping into the air

"He's directing his descent towards Miss Kagome, gaining the speed and momentum to lay some serious hurt when he lands!" Koto said, awed.

Kagome pulled her bow off her shoulder, but rather than holding it as though to fire, she grabbed the end and swung it like a bat, her power flowing along the wood as weapon connected with armour. Everything stopped for a moment as the two forces battled to find which would come out the victor. Kagome's feet dug into the floor as she forced her bow further forwards in her attempt to push Rishou back.

"I don't know who is going to give first but the tension is killing me!" Koto said.

"You're not the only one lady," Yusuke growled from the sidelines.

At last, Rishou was pushed back, landing on his shoulders before ploughing towards the edge of the arena. Kagome was also sent back to the opposite edge, and was panting from exertion. It wasn't the way she fought when she had just started. This whole Tournament she had been fighting a different way than she had back then – apart from the last battle, where it had almost been like old times watching InuYasha fight the bad guy and then shooting an arrow, but even that had been different. Kagome clenched her teeth and reached up, drawing a real arrow from the small quiver on her back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Kagome is drawing a real arrow on that bow of hers, and it's going to be the first time I've seen her launching such a projectile. In the last fight, she fired her energy from her bowstring, what kind of pain will that pointed tip inflict on Rishou? Will it even hit with all the armour he's wearing?" Koto begged of the crowd.

"Oh it _will_ hit," Kagome promised with a growl of her own as she released her arrow, her energy flowing from the tip like a jet stream until it hit the shoulder of Rishou's armour, breaking it apart and sticking into his own shoulder.

He screamed.

"That sounds like he's in pain," Koto said cheerfully, skipping up to him. "Will you tell the fans how it feels?" she asked, holding the microphone out to him.

"It's burning at me, it's impossible, the girl can't have that much power!" Rishou yelled, clutching at his shoulder with his other hand.

"Oh yes," Kagome growled. "I can," she said, putting another arrow to her string, pulling back, and letting it fly, straight into Rishou's neck and through his spine. "Rest in peace."

~oOo~


	11. Chapter 11

Hiei was out at the coast testing his control over the darkness flame when Kagome finally found him. The shortest of their number, the masked Genkai, had talked to her for a while before dragging Yusuke out to train, and Kuwabara was having lunch with his sister and Yukina, while Kurama entertained Keiko and Botan with a card game.

"Ever going to tell her?" Kagome asked suddenly.

"Tell who what?" Hiei demanded shortly, not breaking from his training.

"Tell Yukina what she came here to try and find out – if her brother is still alive, and who he is."

Hiei glared at her over his shoulder for a moment before turning back to his bonfire. "No."

"Got a reason?" Kagome demanded, climbing past Hiei and the flames to sit in the middle of the fire, protected from the dangerous head by a barrier of her energy. It was the only way she'd be able to get him to look at her while she talked to him right now.

"She wouldn't want a criminal for a brother," Hiei retorted. "Besides, I made a deal with the man who gave me my Jagan eye that I could not reveal myself to her."

"First of all, you're wrong about her, and second, I smell a loop hole," Kagome said, wagging a finger at the fire demon who was standing just beyond the flames, directing them with his will alone.

"What are you getting at Higurashi?" Hiei asked, a growl in his voice.

"The thing about family, they may not always love the things that you do, but they will still love _you_. Yukina knows that her brother, whoever he may be, has most likely had a very hard life. That's why she wants to find him: so that she can love him. There'll probably be times when you'll get on each other's nerves and not like each other much, but that's family. Even when you don't like each other, you still love each other," Kagome explained.

"Love is a simpering human emotion. I have seen the girls who go on about being in love with Kurama," Hiei said, deriding it.

"That isn't the love I'm talking about. I'm fairly sure it's not even love at all, that's obsession. There are a couple of different types of love Hiei. There's romantic love, which is what Kuwabara feels for Yukina."

Hiei snorted derisively, not wanting to be reminded of that.

"Then there's brotherly love, which is what Kuwabara and Yusuke have, even if they don't really understand it."

"Those two fail to understand a great deal."

"True. The last kind of love is called unconditional love. It's what I feel for Souta, my mother, Shippo, even my gramps. It's what Yukina feels for the brother she has never met, and how Shiori feels about Shuichi. This kind of love keeps on going even when the other person does something upsetting. Kurama is worried about telling his mother that he's a demon because he doesn't completely understand this love yet. Yes, it would be easier if she knew about demons first, but she would still love him as her son even if he told her that he was actually a millennia-old spirit fox – because she loves him in this way," Kagome explained.

Hiei summoned the darkness flame into his hand and thrust it into the bonfire, sending it into a raging inferno.

Kagome huffed. "Fine, I know when I'm not wanted," she said, jumping out of the fire quickly before it became too much for her. She knew when something was too powerful for her barriers. Fire she could handle. Fire from the depths of hell and with a consciousness? Not just yet, at least, not for more than a few seconds. She would go and interrupt the Kuwabara's lunch to teach Yukina about aura recognition.

Hiei said he had promised not to reveal himself to her, he never said anything about if she figured it out on her own.

~oOo~

Meeting Yusuke's spirit beast was probably the highlight of Kagome's whole day.

"Hey Koenma? How do I get one of those?" Kagome asked, pointing to the little blue fuzz-ball that Keiko was cradling in her arms.

"I'll look into it for you," Koenma answered with a smile. "But everybody's spirit beast is different. Oh, and I found out about that demon lord you were asking about. He died protecting a human woman from a tribe of panther demons some four-hundred and seventy-five years ago."

Well, there went her good mood. "Thank you Koenma," she said quietly.

"If it makes you feel any better Kagome, none of that tribe came away from that encounter any better than he did. The only one who survived was the human woman."

Kagome smiled gently. "It does a bit. Thanks."

So Rin had wrapped up Sesshoumaru's swords and brought them to the well. That answered that for her at least.

~oOo~

"Master Genkai," Kagome said, approaching a figure sitting outside of a cave, a figure that had first appeared to Team Urameshi with her face covered in a mask. The rain was rolling off Kagome's barrier as she approached. Probably a cheap use of her power, but Kagome preferred to stay dry

"Hello girlie. You've got a question for me?"

"Yes Master. I know that you intend to pass on your spirit orb to Yusuke, but it was not something that was passed on to you. I was wondering how you created it," Kagome asked.

"Long story."

"While he's figuring himself out, I think we have the time. Besides Master Genkai, I've already been at this sort of thing for a couple of years. I can handle the horror stories."

The old woman huffed slightly and grumbled a moment before she sighed and conceded. "Very well."

~oOo~

Kagome walked into the ring for the semi-finals, one of the only three people who actually knew where Yusuke was when the rest of his team was on their way to a semi-final fight – the other two were Yusuke himself and Master Genkai.

"Where _is_ Urameshi?" Kuwabara demanded as they walked down the dark corridor of the new stadium.

"With Master, getting stronger," Kagome answered.

"Master?" Kuwabara asked.

"She is referring to the one who arrived with Yusuke before the Tournament began," Hiei answered.

"You mean the pint-sized guy with the tatty old mask?" Kuwabara said.

"Yes," Kagome answered. "Yusuke will not be needed for this fight, but he will need to be stronger for the next one."

"That is very confident of you Kagome," Kurama said. "Especially since you saw this team's last fight with us yesterday morning."

Kagome smiled at the two demons on her left. "Well, maybe I'm just confident in _you_ _two_," she pointed out.

Hiei and Kurama both chuckled, flattered but not fooled. Kagome was as confident in her own abilities as she was in theirs and they knew it.

"I thought we agreed on a good fight. Where is your team leader?" The blue haired samurai-wanna-be-in-pink, Shishiwakamaru, demanded when the two teams met at the centre of the ring.

"He said you weren't worth the time," Kuwabara answered.

Kagome bit back a laugh at the way the big lug could rearrange the explanation that Yusuke was busy getting ready for the next fight into such a prickly, ego-poking answer.

It clearly upset Shishiwakamaru.

"It is now time to choose the conditions for your fight," said the new referee, an aquatic looking girl called Juri.

"It doesn't matter," Hiei said. "Let's just see who lives."

Kagome smirked. Maybe her little ego-boost to the two demons hadn't been as pointless as they let her think.

"You're a hasty one, aren't you boy?" the large blonde of the opposing team said, blowing bubble gum of all things. "I take it you're fighting first."

"That's right I am. First, last and only," Hiei answered. "I've been under too much stress lately," he continued clenching the hand that Kagome had been sure to wrap in bandages before every fight since he had first released the Darkness Flame. It was a good tactic to make obvious injuries continue to look obvious, even after they had been healed. "Killing you all should be a good remedy."

Shishiwakamaru chuckled once. "We're all anxious to fight Hiei," he was almost pleasant as he drew a pair of blank dice from his robe. "Why don't we let an outside party decide the pairings?" he continued as names appeared on the yellow cubes. "Each six-sided die represents a team, and has a single team member's name on each side. The sixth side is a free space and anyone can fight when it comes up. You must fight as many times as your name appears, as long as you're still alive."

"Doesn't bother me," Hiei answered, "but one thing, any time it lands on the name of our absent _leader_, I shall fight in his place."

"Okay! Matches will be chosen by rolling of dice!" Juri declared. "Multiple turns are allowed, and as always in the semi-finals, five wins will advance!"

"Fate makes her choice," Shishiwakamaru declared, throwing the dice.

Hiei's name landed upright for their team.

"Looks like you got Makintaro, Hiei," Kuwabara observed.

"Hn. Your desperate plan has backfired," the short demon smirked.

"Hah!" the large, barely dressed, brown brute scoffed. "You talk way too big, little man."

"Alright fans, it's the first match-up of the semi-finals: Hiei versus the big man Makintaro!" Juri announced. "Begin!"

Hiei's sword barely flashed, and he was standing back where he had been before, Makintaro's dismembered arm in his hand. When Makintaro attacked him, Hiei dodged onto the demon's shoulders before stabbing his sword through the large demon's skull.

"He has such a way with words," Kagome observed, chuckling over the way Hiei had criticised first the demon's nervous system and then eyesight.

"And the winner by death is Hiei!"

"Hiei gets bonus points in my book for both skull piercing and amputation, but next time, let's try to drag it out a little bit more," Koto added from the commentary box.

"Roll Shishi. I want to finish warming up," Hiei said firmly.

Kuromomotaro's name came up next, and Hiei took the place of the blank space on the Urameshi team's die as he was already in the ring and eager to fight still. Kurama heard the bubble-gum-popping blonde asking the old man on the team about the likelihood that Hiei would use the darkness flame, to which the old man confirmed that Hiei was 'clearly still unable to use it', which Kurama relayed to Kagome who didn't have his superior hearing, and they shared a quiet chuckle.

When Kuro removed Hiei's sword from Makintaro, and licked the blade, Kagome felt rage at the way he disrespected a sword from her family's shrine, not to mentioned sickened. She knew the history of all of the swords, and knew that _that_ one had sliced through a large number of rather disgusting things in its time. Hiei had only added more blood to the blade since he had chosen it – though he did keep it in good condition.

"Yeah. Sweet sword!"

"Hate to say, but that's hardly hygienic. You have no idea how many creatures that sword has cut through," Hiei said, aware of Kagome's aura flaring slightly at the sight, and of Kurama calming her down.

"Oh, I'm sure," he answered. "Let me add one more," he said with a smirk, slicing into his own arm and rejoicing in the pain as his own purple blood spurted for a while. "Sharp, not that it'll do you any good now." He took a ball from his belt. "This is the steaming sphere that seals your fate."

"You know what?" Kagome said, staring at the suddenly very hairy Kuro, who had just declared the fine sword from her shrine to be scrap metal, and then made it so by breaking the sword on his 'beast armour'. "I'm going to just go and sit down over there while Hiei plays around before he decides to do something obvious and ends the fight."

Just as Kagome walked away from the ring to sit by the wall, Hiei was thrown out of the ring and into the wall four feet to her left by Kuro, who then started to preach about how Hiei couldn't win against him.

Of course, Hiei proved the large fool wrong soon enough.

"Hiei?" Kagome said, worry in her voice as she got up from where she had been sitting, intent on healing the wounds that Kuro had inflicted on the short demon's body.

"Sorry about the sword," Hiei said, handing over the hilt to the girl. "Save your energy though, I don't need anything more than a bandage."

"I disagree," Kagome said with a growl, but had to concede to a quick bandage as the dice were being rolled again.

Kurama's name appeared on the dice next against Yurayurishima.

Kagome watched intently and silently from beside Hiei as rose whip and fishing line clashed, and a forcefield was slowly planted around the edges of the arena – while Hiei gave Kuwabara a commentary. She frowned as Yura spoke down to Kurama, stepped on his rose, the barrier was noticed and the contents of the demon's backpack was revealed.

Two matching grins appeared on Kagome's and Hiei's faces as they felt the energy within the ring change, and surge.

"Yoko has returned, they cry," a deep voice said from within the mists, clearly pleased.

Kagome stifled laughter while Hiei sniggered, hearing the lesser demon panicking in the face of the opponent that he had drawn out.

"It's like a thunder storm in there! Where's all that energy comin' from?" Kuwabara asked, stepping back from the ring.

"Ha! It's all Kurama, down to the last drop!" Hiei answered with a pleased smirk on his face. He had always wanted to meet the legendary Yoko. To find that he was trapped in a human body had been something of a disappointment to him when he finally did meet him.

"But it's different somehow and a heck of a lot more powerful," Kuwabara protested quietly.

"It seems that fool he's been fighting has turned him back into his demon form, before he was _tainted_ by you humans," Hiei said, a slight sneer to his voice before he explained about the circumstances of Kurama's death and re-birth as a human. "Now we'll see what the purest form of Kurama can do," he finished.

Screams came from within the mist, Yura's screams.

"He hasn't touched him yet," Kagome said with a snigger. "Kurama's just playing with his plants."

Grovelling could be heard from within, and when the mist began to clear, Kagome smirked to hear Koto begging to know who the 'love god' in the ring was, as well as noticing that Shishiwakamaru's sword was stabbed into a beast.

"Wha-! Kuarma really is a fox thing!" Kuwabara yelled. "Gee, and to think I let him near my kitten," he added more quietly.

Before everybody's eyes, Kurama's true form disappeared, leaving Shuichi behind.

"I can't explain it, my silver-haired hunk has transformed into a sadly tail-less Kurama! My whole weekend is shot!" Koto complained.

Kagome laughed. "I think he's handsome both ways," she said quietly.

Kurama's win was written up on the board as he walked back to the team and Shishiwakamaru rolled the dice again – him, against any of them.

The stadium erupted, or at least the female demons in the crowd went wild. Banners and streamers and girls yelling his name.

"Hey, why doesn't someone cheer for me okay? A real man's attractive 'cause he's tough, not 'cause of his charming good looks," Kuwabara objected to the crowd.

"Yes, you with the inferior face, you must be getting bored as a side-show freak, why don't you fight me?" Shishi said to the human boy, sparking a rage that had him charging clumsily to the stage.

"I'll show you, pretty boy!"

"Looks like he struck a sensitive chord," Kurama observed.

"Let me handle this. Shishiwakamaru appears to be their strongest fighter," Hiei said.

"No, I will fight him," Kurama countered. "Anji could be unpredictable. Recover your powers for the final match."

"Kurama, it's obvious you only want to fight him so that you can learn the secrets of that age reversal. We can't allow any priorities to rank above victory," Hiei said, frowning. "You let me fight."

"What are you talking about, I'm gonna fight him!" Kuwabara said, cracking his knuckles.

"You're all _idiots_," Kagome said flatly, shaking her head. "And I want to fight in this semi-final too. His nose looks _very_ breakable. As we can't agree though, how about we settle it with a game of Janken?"

"Oh yeah, bring it on! I'm a champion and that game!" Kuwabara declared, holding out his fist.

"Janken? What is that?" Hiei asked, getting slowly more and more pissed.

"Gee man, you really didn't have a childhood," Kuwabara said quietly.

"I pursue strength! I do not have time for your trivial -!"

"It's a human game," Kurama interrupted.

"Rock 'breaks' scissors to win, likewise scissors 'cuts' paper, and paper 'covers' rock," Kagome said, showing the different gestures to denote the items.

"Pitifully simple," Hiei said with a shrug, smirking.

Kuwabara won, defeating everybody's rock with his own paper. Hiei began to dispute his win, but Kagome hushed him.

"He'll lose quickly and then one of us will be in the ring, let the fool have his moment of glory," Kagome placated gently. "Besides, his eyes aren't as good as yours and he certainly isn't as fast. If he had intended to do something else and changed his mind, we _all_ would have seen it."

Hiei grumbled, but let it go.

True to Kagome's word, Kuwabara was quickly defeated, disappearing from the ring into Shishiwakamaru's cape of no return, his final words of "I'm not ugly okay!" causing only the faintest amusement to Hiei, and the win was awarded to Shishi.

The women screamed in delight with the quick removal of the eyesore, while the males all demanded blood in his next fight.

"Guess I'll have to please the demon _boys_ with this next fight," Shishi said, throwing the dice once more. Shishi took the place of the free space on the die for his team. For Team Urameshi, Kagome's name appeared.

Silently, she stepped up.

"How awfully disappointing, I wanted a good match," Shishi said. "A female could never fight me seriously, they're all too interested in my stunning good looks."

"Begin!" Juri declared.

Kagome took InuYasha's beads from her pocket. It was a cheap trick, but as long as he was going to talk she saw no reason not to chant the incantation that would make the fight embarrassingly easy.

"What is this?" he asked when the beads started to appear around his neck. "A present from an adoring fan? I'm flattered. It even matches my eyes."

"Sit boy."

Shishi's face was slammed into the floor, raising a cry among his female supporters.

"Kurama, did you know she could do that?" Hiei asked, suddenly less certain about staying in her home while in Human World.

"I had heard about her beads of subjugation from Shippo when we first met, but this is the first time that I have seen them," Kurama admitted. "My understanding is that it takes absolutely none of her spirit energy to activate them either, once they have been placed around the demon's neck."

"So, can you get up before she counts to ten Shishi?" Kagome asked. "If you can't then you really aren't worth me fighting you."

Shishi pushed himself out of his crater, radiating fury, and was on his feet again just as Juri counted nine.

"Well what do you know? There's more to the pretty boy than just his face and his arrogance," Kagome commented with a smile. "I promise, I won't do that again for the rest of the fight, it would be waaaaaay too easy, and I'm sure you feel the need to show off right about now."

"I will defeat you! I will achieve fame when I kill Toguro! By killing a celebrity I shall become one myself!" Shishiwakamaru declared, drawing his sword. "I call this the Banshee Shriek, such a lovely name for a sword don't you think?"

"Never heard a real banshee, have you punk?" Kagome said flatly as the demon began spinning his sword.

"Chorus of a thousand skulls!"

Kagome rose a barrier around herself, another around her team mates, and two separate, smaller ones around each Juri and Koto.

"Now that you've witnessed the most awesome display of power ever unleashed at the Dark Tournament, there should be no debate about who the greatest showman is. Such impact on the audience. They will never forget the famous Shishiwakamaru," the demon declared, holding his sword out before him triumphantly.

"They can't remember anything if they're dead," Kagome pointed out as she stepped clear of the slowly settling dust around her.

"I'm surprised my sword sound alone didn't kill you," Shishi sneered.

"Like I said, you've never heard a real banshee, have you?" Kagome answered.

"You can't evade my chorus of a thousand skulls forever! Humans are weak, frail creatures. You won't last long!" Shishi said, his fury building again as he readied his sword for another attack. "Of course, my sword can do more than just the chorus of a thousand skulls," he declared. Turning his sword to face the ground, Shishi made his next move, stabbing his sword into the arena. "Surround us with the cage of hell!"

Kagome shivered in recognition of the feeling as the souls washed around them in a barrier. She would be able to walk out of this one as easily as any other barrier she had faced, she knew that, even if it had solidified to a certain extent. Kagome also knew that she would not enjoy the feeling of her soul being pulled at as she did it. And it looked like filthy water, which she also didn't like very much.

"Run as fast as you like, you'll run out of breath before you get out. There's no escape for you this time!" Shishiwakamaru declared, laughing maniacally. "It's one hell of a cage match, to the death! Idealists like you who fight for justice make me wretch! Stardom is the purest fuel for strength, and that's how it should always be. You softies are only crowding the room."

Kagome chuckled. "I haven't fought for justice for a long time," she admitted. "Where did you get the impression that I was a crime-fighting hero?" she asked. She may have fought Naraku, but that wasn't justice. That was her fulfilling an obligation.

"I will be a big star!" Shishi yelled, ignoring her.

"I already am one pretty-boy," Kagome said quietly, calmly. "Pay attention, you might learn something."

"Shut up! You are a nobody! No one knows your name as they shall mine!" Shishi yelled as he charged.

"They do. They just don't know the one I've been using for the Tournament. I'm rather surprised that no one has figured it out yet," Kagome answered. "But then, it is a very _old_ legend that I'm part of. I'm sure you've heard of the _Shikon Miko_?"

"She lived over five hundred years ago! I'll slice you in half, _human_!" Shishi cried, bringing down his sword, deaf to Kagome's words.

Kagome dodged to the side, placing her foot on the back of the blade when it went into the ground, preventing Shishi from lifting it again.

"I worry for your sanity," she said quietly, laying a glowing palm over each of Shishi's wrists, burning him with her purifying energy. "But you needn't die today," she continued, grabbing him firmly and throwing him out of his own barrier.

"It will take more than parlour tricks to keep a consummate champion like _me_ down! Chorus of a thousand skulls!"

Kagome held her hand out, collecting the energy Shishi was throwing around and at her into a shining orb of power. "Let me show you something I learned from a master," she said, absorbing his energy, his power, and his attack before throwing it back at him. It made quite the bang.

"You really don't fight for justice?" he asked haltingly as he looked up at her from where he lay, sword broken, clothes filthy, hair in a mess.

"Not really," Kagome answered. "I killed demons to reclaim my own property. I killed demons so that they didn't have to suffer from insanity any longer. I killed humans so that the world could be rid of their insanity, and they wouldn't have to suffer or cause suffering any more either. That's mercy and keeping the balance, not justice."

"I think I've just fallen in love," Shishi said. "If things had worked out differently for us -?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Sit boy," she growled, the beads around his neck forcing him into a deeper crater in the ring. "Thanks, but no thanks," she added, reaching into the crater to take back the necklace before walking away the winner.

When Anji rolled the die for their team and Kuwabara reappeared to fight him, Kurama and Kagome face-palmed simultaneously. Hiei only made the usual comment he had when faced with the tall teen.

"Fool."

A few minutes later and they could only all reiterate the same statement.

"I can't believe he walked right into that trap on his own," Kurama said.

"He is a _first class fool_," Hiei said again, and that did explain it.

"Agreed, a fool and a moron," Kagome added with a lamenting sigh. "I'll talk to Shizuru about that afterwards." Big-sister bonding, it was a great thing.

As he had been before, Kuwabara was removed from the ring, only without the fancy scarf.

"I know where this one's going: Kuwabara's out of the ring and won't be back in ten. The winner is Anji!" Juri declared.

"So who will I get the pleasure of humiliating next? I have a funny feeling in my old trick knee that it's going to be you," Anji said, pointing to Kurama. "Now I know all the secrets of the Idon Box, so sorry, but you'll have to fight me in your human form."

"Presumptive, as you have yet to roll," Kurama answered with a scowl. At least he knew now exactly who to get that information from.

The die, however, rolled Kagome's name.

"I have a request before the fight begins," Kagome said as she stepped up and her team mates returned to the edge of the ring. "Loose the dumb mask. I don't know who you are, but you're no old man."

"Well, you're the first to notice. I even masked my energy!" Anji said, pulling off some of his face and continuing to go on about how he hated the elderly, and had used the disguise to fuel his rage and power before he exploded in a riot of colour and began to go on again, this time about his own beauty and his plans to be worshipped by all as 'the beautiful Suzuka'.

"He's nuts," Kagome said.

"I'm embarrassed listening to him," Kurama said from the sidelines.

"He makes Kuwabara look smart," Hiei added.

Suzuka ranted somewhat longer about his plans of world domination before Kagome asked if they could get the show on the road.

"Let the battle begin!" Juri said.

"I call this one rainbow cyclone!" Suzuka declared, spinning his energy around and unleashing it in a blast of colour. "It's not only deadly but it's killer to look at! Though I'm sure the poor, plain girl didn't really appreciate it as it went straight through her heart. What are you waiting for?"

"Oh, right, out of the ring, I'll start the count. One!" Juri began.

Kagome stepped out of the settled dust and rubble as the girl reached 'three', unharmed herself and walked calmly back into the ring.

"Forgive me if I'm not impressed," Suzuka said.

"I know you think you play by higher standards, but at least give me credit for the nose," Kagome said, smiling.

Suzuka wailed when he noticed the absence of his false red nose, complaining that he felt naked without it. Kagome just twirled it around her finger by it's string.

"I've seen vital organs ripped off that were _real_, I've removed a few myself. I've been through hell and back on several different levels. You're about as much of a fighter as my baby brother," Kagome growled. "You know what? You're smart, but you haven't the ability in your body to back up those smarts. You're weaker than your front man."

Suzuka charged her. Kagome didn't flinch, merely drew back her hand in the practised motion of so many high school girls around the world. Her palm made contact with his white painted cheek. A resounding smack sounded throughout the stadium and Suzuka went flying into the wall head first.

Team Urameshi was declared the winner, and with their team captain nowhere in sight.

~oOo~


	12. Chapter 12

Kagome stood beside Kurama, watching the fight between Team Toguro and Team Garinja. Hiei had left to build another bonfire and train, but Kagome and Kurama had both wanted to study their opponents. Kuwabara was keeping an eye on the unconscious Yusuke, and Kagome knew that Genkai had gone to see the Toguro absent from the fight that they were now watching.

"Kagome, did you see how Karasu did that?" Kurama asked. "I can only guess he sends his energy directly into his opponent and then causes it to explode from the inside."

"Yes, I can see, and no, that isn't what he does. He creates explosive devices with his energy," Kagome answered, a look of confusion apparent in the furrowing of her brow. "You can't see them because of your human restrictions?" she asked, worried. She could see fine because of her skills as a miko and that she had always been human. Kurama on the other hand, had suffered a dent to his powers since he became human.

"No, I cannot. My power is greatly restricted as Shuichi," Kurama admitted.

~oOo~

"You're the only ones who watched?" Karasu asked them in the hallway. He and Bui stood side by side, blocking the hall Kagome and Kurama had been walking down in silence, both thinking deeply on what they were up against. "You team must be very confident."

"Or in denial," Kurama answered.

"Yes," Karasu agreed pleasantly. "Accepting the truth would be easier. The finals will come, and the five of you will die. Your sixth dies even as we speak."

"We know that. That is Master Genkai's own decision," Kagome said, laying a hand on Kurama's arm, trying to keep him calm in the face of their foe.

Bui struck the wall sharply, causing both Kurama's and Kagome's eyes to dart to the point of impact in surprise. When they looked back, Karasu was no longer before them.

Kurama almost panicked at how quickly the demon had moved, and that he couldn't sense him at all. Kagome's hand on his sleeve tightened as pair of hands slipped onto Kurama's shoulders.

"Your hair is a bit damaged Kurama," Karasu whispered from behind. "Human bodies are so frail. I know you fear what my touch could do to you and yet, maybe you also want to know it?"

"And I know that you're afraid of what touching _me_ could do to _you_," Kagome hissed at the demon behind them, "which is why you try to intimidate Kurama. Let _go_ of him before _we_ are fighting an under-manned team in the finals."

"No need to get upset, it's just a game," Karasu said, disappearing around them until he was before them again. "As a fighter, I like _you_ best Kurama. And when I like something, I like to take it away. It gives me a certain feeling, like pondering unanswerable questions. You don't get the result you want, and so you're swept with an empty despair that makes you feel alive," Karasu seemed eager to impress this upon them, but turned then just before saying to Kurama, "Save your fight for me, okay?"

"He sounds like a member of your fanclub, only even more insane," Kagome said, shuddering. "He is definitely dangerous."

"I can't fight him as I am," Kurama said, frightened and angry at the same time. A dangerous mix in anybody.

"No," Kagome agreed, moving around him so that she was in front of him, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to look her in the eye. "Which is why you aren't going to," she insisted almost desperately. "You can let me fight him, or let Hiei fight him, because both of us will be able to see what he does and avoid it. Please Kurama, don't let him get to you. You don't have to fight him."

Kurama lay one of his hands over Kagome's, breathing deeply and closing his eyes for a moment, pretending that they were standing in the park between his home and hers, putting on an act for his fangirls. He smiled and opened his eyes again. "Thank you Kagome," he said. "I will step down and let Hiei fight him. I think our skills will be best put to use fighting against the elder Toguro brother."

Kagome nodded in allowance and drew her hands back to her sides. "Joy, one of us gets to kill another Naraku. Come on, I want to see if we can catch the last of Master Genkai's fight."

~oOo~

Kagome left Kurama's side when Toguro punched Yusuke halfway through the entire forest, intent on finding the boy and making sure he didn't do anything too stupid. Kurama went to find Hiei, to talk about the slip of a plan that they had made about the upcoming finals in two days time.

By the time she found him, Yusuke was sitting in front of the cave that she knew Master Genkai had chosen for him to receive her spirit orb. Kagome herself remembered seeking out the old woman and asking for the story of it here while Yusuke was still trying to figure out if he could kill Genkai for the power or not.

"Hey, Slacker," Kagome said kindly, sitting down next to him.

"Don't call me that. You have no right to call me that," Yusuke grumbled.

"I thought you might appreciate having _someone_ call you slacker anyway," Kagome answered, unruffled. "After all, you still are her favourite slacker, aren't you? Oh hey, question," she said, standing up and pushing back her sleeves. "Did she put these cuff-things on you as well?"

"What? What the hell are you doing with those?" Yusuke demanded, jumping up and pointing at her like she had grown an extra set of hands out of her elbows.

"Master Genkai put these on me almost the instant she began my training," Kagome answered, pulling her sleeves back down.

"And how long ago was that?"

"The day after the makai insects made their cameo appearance in the city," she said with a shudder, remembering the bugs. She _hated_ bugs.

"Seriously? You picked up her training practically the _day after I left_?" Yusuke asked, dumbfounded. "And you've been wearing those the whole time?"

Kagome nodded. "In every single one of the fights so far, and for several months of training before that. So, have you figured out what Master Genkai was telling you yet?"

"No, I think I need a little more time to think about it," Yusuke answered softly.

"Just remember that time doesn't stand still for anybody Yusuke. It drags us all along with it eventually, whether we are willing or not. We have to face the finals in two days, don't make someone have to come and find you because you still haven't finished grieving," Kagome said, then turned and walked back to the hotel. She passed Koenma on her way, knowing he'd say something that would piss Yusuke off, but that he really needed to hear.

~oOo~

When Kagome entered the hotel room, Kurama was pouring a drink for himself from a rather strange looking container.

"Hey," she said. "Master Genkai's death and Yusuke's immersion in denial are both confirmed. What's that?"

"Hopefully, a way for me to return to my demon form. The -" he coughed, "-'beautiful' Suzuka just gave it to me before I got back to the hotel, I'm testing it while I have time," Kurama answered.

Kagome flooded the rooms they had been given with her energy, creating a barrier. "Good idea, but try not to let on to anybody that you have any access to that power. They _are_ staying in the same building as us," she pointed out.

Kurama blushed. "Ah, yes, I should really have thought of that."

"It's alright. No one will be able to feel your energy at all now if you don't leave the barrier I just set up," Kagome answered. "And to think it was _you_ who taught me about this all those centuries ago," she added with a slight tease in her voice.

Kurama chuckled. "Yes, the barrier to hide our energy signature when we infiltrated Naraku's castle was your part of the job, while Shippo's illusions hid our physical forms. Such fond times," he recalled pleasantly.

The two friends reminisced for a while, both with half an eye on the clock, waiting to see how long it would take before the drug became effective. Kagome watched as Kurama's energy swirled around him suddenly, changing texture and glowing around him before shifting slightly once more, leaving the great Yoko in all his silvery glory once more.

"Five minutes," Kagome observed, tilting her head to the side and resting it on her hand. "And you _still_ look handsome."

Kurama chuckled. "I believe we said something about you washing my hair again in five hundred years when we parted at the well?"

"You also said you might let me wash your tail too," Kagome answered, getting up from the couch and heading for the bathroom.

"Kagome," Kurama said, grabbing her wrist gently and turning her to face him. "You haven't forgotten what it means to a fox to let another touch their tail have you?"

"To be touched only by the owner of the tail, and their mates," Kagome answered, a gentle smile on her face. "I remember. I also said 'might.' I understand if you don't want me to."

"Kagome, you're a miko," Kurama said, releasing her wrist to set both of his hands on her shoulders and make her look at him. "Miko can't marry, their duty is to purify demons, they must remain chaste all of their days."

Kagome stared up into Kurama's golden eyes, searching them for what she could feel him trying to hide from her.

"You really ought to know your first and last points are myths. Miko's have married, and had kids, and _still_ had full access to their powers. As for the demon purification stuff, you _know_ that I'm not a traditional miko," she told him.

"What about the purity of the jewel?" Kurama asked, fingering the chain it hung from, but not touching the gem itself.

"It still looks fine to me," Kagome observed, looking down at it. "Kikyo and InuYasha wanted to use the jewel for their own happiness before I met them. Their intentions and intended union never tainted the jewel when Kikyo held it. Still, if you like we'll wait until after the Tournament to talk about whether or not you will ever let me wash your tail, and if I go from being your cover and escape from your fanclub to something more real."

Kurama smiled and nodded his agreement.

"So, I'll wash your hair now?" Kagome said.

"Yes, please."

A few hours later, Kagome and Kurama, no longer silver, observed Yusuke's spirit gun rocket into the sky like a firework that forgot to pop. Not long after that, Kuwabara started yelling at Yusuke's window that he'd got a new weapon.

"Time to go and meet up with everybody then," Kagome said, heading for the door.

Yusuke was channelling his energy just a short way from the hotel, and the two friends silently followed Kuwabara's noisy descent over the first cliff edge.

"You're not going to ruin my day, cause I got a new bad-guy slicing and dicing weapon! My new totally bad-ass super sword!" Kuwabara announced to Yusuke, brandishing his hilt happily.

"Do you think it's possible that you could shut up?" Hiei demanded of Kuwabara, appearing around the corner.

"Hey Hiei," Yusuke acknowledged.

"You really shouldn't sneak up on someone who's holding the world's most powerful sword!" Kuwabara protested, only to scream when he noticed Hiei's right arm. "Ew! Ew! What the heck happened to your arm?"

Hiei raised his arm and stared at it. "It wouldn't obey when I gave it a specific command, so I decided it needed to be punished," he answered.

"Way too much information for me," Kuwabara said, laughing nervously.

"Not enough for me," Kagome said, growling slightly as she stepped forward. "What command and punished how?" she demanded, marching up to Hiei and shoving him down to sit while she healed his arm.

"Don't know where she came from, but that means that everyone's here except for Kurama," the carrot-top said.

"Kuwabara, I've been standing right here for some time now," Kurama said, announcing his presence.

~oOo~

Kagome changed the bandages on Hiei's arm, adding extra wards since he had clearly kept going through the night with his extra training and had managed only to increase the strength of his attack, while not actually improving his control very much, then went to join the rest of the team for breakfast.

"Kuwabara, there's something I want to ask you," Kagome said seriously as she sat down across from him.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I know you're very excited about your new weapon, but I want to ask you not to fight today."

"Say what!"

"I also wanted to ask Yusuke to have his fight with Toguro first. This whole Tournament has been whoever is pulling _his_ strings getting Yusuke ready to fight him. The rest of us are extras. Every single one of us. Important extras, but Toguro wants to fight Yusuke, and that's all that it comes down to," Kagome explained.

"As much as I hate to admit it, that sounds about right," Yusuke ground out. He was still bitter about, and in denial of, Genkai's death. So far though, he hadn't had to really face it. "Alright, I'll take the fight to Toguro right off the bat." His statement was uncharacteristically unenthusiastic.

Kagome nodded, and continued with the plan she had been mulling over for the fight ahead of them. "Karasu has singled out Kurama as the one that he wants to fight. We're going to upset him by not giving him what he wants."

"I will be fighting Karasu," Hiei said. "I am the one best able to see his attacks," he added as explanation, his Jagan glowing briefly beneath his warded headband for emphasis.

"What about the older Toguro brother? And the guy with all the armour?" Kuwabara asked. "I could fight one of them, couldn't I?"

"You want to fight a demon who carries a weapon three times as large as himself, and that he wields as easily as though it were a toothpick?" Kagome demanded.

"Uh, no I guess not," Kuwabara said, shrinking back in embarrassment. "But that still leaves the other Toguro! I could fight him, couldn't I?"

"I don't recommend it," Kagome answered with a shake of her head. "Kuwabara, you are a normal kid with a normal life and a paranormal awareness. Yusuke is officially Koenma's spirit detective – he's never going to have a completely normal life ever again. Hiei is a demon, so is Kurama. I live on shrine grounds with ancient and dangerous artefacts, many of which have some relationship to demonic history. You're the only one _capable_ of having a _completely_ normal human life after this is over."

"Nice speech," Hiei said as the boy walked back to his room, a determined set to his chin.

"I didn't mean to make a speech," Kagome said with a sigh.

Kuwabara emerged from his room not long after in a change of clothes that Kagome found embarrassing, but then again, she was more used to traditional Japanese and Chinese clothing, rather than the wannabe-American-biker-in-white look. He was gripping his new sword-hilt in his hand as well. Apparently, he didn't want to listen to Kagome's advice this time around.

~oOo~

"According to the Tournament rule book, each of the ten players must participate in a one-on-one match assuming five matches are necessary. The first team to win three matches will be the champions," Juri read from the book she was holding up with her tail. "Sorry about that, but since this is the final and neither side has used their substitution, you must have five members or your team will forfeit," she said, pointing her tail at Team Toguro, of which only four members were standing present. "Team Toguro must find a fifth fighter soon, 'cause if you don't I'll be forced to disqualify you and forfeit the match and that's not good!"

"That's all you had to say," Toguro answered. "Our reserve team member is always happy to join us when required."

"Him," Kagome said to Kuwabara as the man walked out of the gates to stand with Toguro, "_him_ you may fight. Yusuke, time to step up."

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "I know everybody was expecting this fight to wait a bit, but frankly I'd rather just get it the hell over with," Yusuke declared at the demons of the stadium all let out surprised murmurs.

"Hn. So eager to die, Yusuke Urameshi?" Toguro asked, stepping up himself.

"Not really, but I've got this burning desire to kick your ass."

~oOo~


	13. Chapter 13

"I loved it!" Koto declared. "It was terrifying, and half of the stadium is in ruins, but the pain, the agony, the absolutely gut-wrenching force of that whole fight was magnificent! I'll be wanting a copy of it on video to keep me company on boring days!"

"Winner of the first fight is Yusuke Urameshi!" Juri declared, having confirmed the younger Toguro down for ten counts. The way his flesh had splintered away from him and left him white might have been a clue that he would never be getting up again, but procedure was procedure.

"If everybody would be patient with us while we get something done about the total absence of a ring, we'll get on with the next fight as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, we will not be rebuilding the stadium to fit safety standards in that time, so everybody in the building who is still alive, please move to the areas that aren't crumbling." Koto added.

"So, are you going to stand up now Kuwabara?" Kagome asked the boy who had pretended to die, despite Toguro missing all vitals when 'killing' him in order to jump-start Yusuke's power.

"What did you say?" Yusuke demanded, running up to her.

"How does it feel to be out of the loop-de-loop Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked, jumping up to tease his friend.

"The heart? The finger-poking!" Yuuske insisted. The whole stadium had known his despair when he had thought that his best friend was dead.

"He missed," Kagome answered. "I don't know if he intended to or not, but we all agreed you needed some kind of kick up the rear to get going, so yes, we all did a terrible thing and let you believe that Kuwabara was dead."

It took a while, but the security demons eventually rolled in the ring that had been used in the old stadium. As long as that took, however, it still wasn't long enough for Yusuke to get over Kuwabara faking his death, though Hiei had recovered from the shock of seeing the detective trying to kill his friend for nearly dying.

The elder Toguro brother stepped up immediately, wanting revenge for his dear brother's death.

Kagome and Kurama exchanged glances and held out their fists.

"One, two, three," they said together, bringing their fists back around. Kagome won the small game of janken and stepped up into the ring.

"Such a pretty face," he said. "I shall enjoy destroying it."

"That's really interesting," Kagome answered. "But you remind me of this guy I killed a long time ago, so I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to do to you what I did to him, " she said as she drew her bow off her shoulder and pulled an arrow from the quiver resting against her back.

"Begin!" Jury declared.

The weedy little man's fingertips shot out and halted in the air two feet from Kagome's neck, the air crackling around them as they struggled to push past the barrier she had up around her.

Calmly, the miko knocked her arrow and took aim. Glowing pink light flowed out from the arrow tip as it flew to lodge in the elder Toguro's neck. Kagome had a second arrow at her bowstring almost as soon as she had released the first one. When the elder Toguro fell, he had an arrow sticking out of each eye, one in his throat, one lodged where his heart was expected to be, one in each shoulder, and the last arrow made every male watching the fight wince and cover themselves instinctively.

"It burns! It burns! How can mere arrows burn at me so?" he demanded, even as his body began to disintegrate.

"Because you are not only a demon, but you also gladly shelter evil in your heart," Kagome answered, turning her back on him and walking away.

"Okay, that officially freaks me out," Juri said, moving away from the ashes that had once been the older of the Toguro brothers. "But the winner by death is Kagome Higurashi!"

Karasu stepped up onto the stage just as Kagome jumped down, and fixed his blue-grey eyes on Kurama.

To his disappointment, it was Hiei who stepped up to fight him.

Hiei dodged all the small explosions that Karasu set around him with ease, taunting the taller demon's speed with his own, even going so far as to snap off his mask as he dashed past and leaving Karasu's bombs to explode in his own face.

It was shortly after that explosion that Karasu went blonde and Hiei got serious, unleashing his dragon of the darkness flame. It surprised everyone when the dragon continued to rage even after Karasu became an imprint of soot and ash, though Hiei didn't seem concerned when it turned on him.

"Um, in a remarkable turn of events, the attack used by Hiei of Team Urameshi appears to have killed both combatants," Jury said, stepping out from behind the fragmented piece of stadium that she had been hiding behind.

"Look again," Hiei's voice called out softly, as a ball of black fire descended, becoming the small demon as it touched down. Visible now on his bared right arm was a swirling black dragon, for all appearances as attached to Hiei's skin as a tattoo.

"I stand corrected. Winner by death is Hiei!" Juri announced. "Winner of the this year's Dark Tournament: Team Urameshi!"

"Well congratulations," said the human, the fifth member of Team Toguro, as he lit a cigarette and watched Bui leave the arena. "You are all entitled to any wish you want, as the winners of the Tournament. Of course, the committee isn't in much of a position to _fulfil_ any wishes right now, as they are all dead."

"Then I got what I wanted," Hiei stated, narrowing his eyes before he turned away.

"Let's go pack," Kagome urged. The Tournament was over. "I just hope that another committee doesn't ever come knocking and demanding for us all to fight again," she added as she ushered Yusuke and Kuwabara to the great hole in the wall and walking out.

It was rather a nice surprise to be greeted by Jin, Touya, Chu and Rinku when they got out there, and the celebratory dinner that night was, as Chu stated as he staggered from one person's shoulders to the next, 'bonza'.

~oOo~

Kagome ran with everybody else when she saw Master Genkai standing before them all, revived in a way that Kikyo had not been. That is, she was actually alive again, not a piece of soul shoved into a clay recreation.

It was especially good to see her again after watching the way Yusuke was behaving in the hotel room, talking about how life would be dull without fearing for his life all the time, and trying to get Puu to patch him through to Genkai in the spirit world, before marching out the door up to his eyeballs in denial.

Kagome smiled when the old woman offered a home at her temple to Yukina. It would be easier for Hiei to keep an eye on his sister if she was so close by, and he might even come to like the human world if Yukina was there to teach him how to take delight in more than just ice cream and hot baths. Her thought processes abruptly came to a halt. Ice cream and a hot bath sounded really good right then. Sure, they had been available at the hotel, but the idea of just being able to hog the bathroom for an hour or so, with a small tub of ice cream all to herself, maybe with her favourite music playing at the same time, and when she got out she knew that Shippo would be right there, smiling for her, and telling her all about what crazy things her grandfather had gotten up to without her there to keep an eye on him.

"Kagome?" Kurama asked, catching her attention as they boarded the boat that would take them back home.

"Hm?" she answered, looking up at him and letting him take her hand to help her off the gangplank and onto the deck.

"I believe we agreed to a little talk after the Tournament was over."

"You want this done with or without an audience?" Kagome asked, jerking her thumb at the various friends, family and team members who were standing nearby, all with half an ear cocked towards their conversation. Keiko had dragged Yusuke away so that they could sit together quietly, something he hadn't seemed to mind too much, but everyone else was there.

"I don't see that it matters, but whatever will be more comfortable for you," Kurama said.

Kagome just shrugged. "Alright," and with that she leant against the railing and watched the horizon beyond, just waiting for Kurama to say something.

He sighed heavily and rested against the rail beside her, his back to the sea and face tilted to watch the sky above. "I don't know what you want me to say Kagome. Our dates have all been things that two friends might do together, and apart from the displays we've done for my fanclub, we haven't been behaving like a couple at all."

"And how do couples behave?" Kagome asked. "Know that if you cite Yusuke and Keiko's relationship, I may have to hit you. If you refer to Kuwabara's behaviour, then I will have no choice but to have you psychologically examined."

Kurama chuckled, shaking his head. "I meant things like holding hands, embracing, kissing sometimes," he said. The closest they had ever come to kissing – for the benefit of his fanclub – had been pecks on the cheek.

"Hn, apart from the kissing, I have seen you do all those things," Hiei grunted, "and without any of your fanclub in sight."

"You've been spying on them Hiei?" Kuwabara demanded, pulling himself up behind the short demon. "What are you? Some kind of perv?"

"No," he answered. "I am simply aware of the people around me and their actions. I refuse to be caught by surprise."

Kagome sighed, shaking her head at the two before she turned back to Kurama, straightening up and facing him fully. Laying a hand on his shoulder, she let it trail slowly up his neck to cup his cheek gently, locking her soulful brown eyes with his shining green ones.

"Shuichi Yoko Kurama Minamino," she said solemnly. "Do you, or do you not, want me to kiss you _right now_?"

Kurama's eyes grew wide with surprise and his mouth fell open in his shock. Then his gaze dropped to Kagome's lips and, whether he was aware of the action or not, his tongue darted out to lick his lips before he closed his mouth.

Kagome smiled gently and stepped closer to him, raising herself onto her toes slightly so that their mouths were level and they could each feel the other's breath on their faces. She stopped there though. "Well?" she asked quietly, her voice husky.

A hand was suddenly buried in her hair and lips were pressed against hers, warm and soft but with the hardness of the teeth behind conveying the urgency of this moment of touch. Another arm went around her waist and she let it pull her closer to the firm body of the one kissing her. When Kagome was eventually released, she saw contentment on Kurama's face.

"I've been wanting to do that for five hundred years," he admitted quietly. "I didn't think you would ever let me get close."

Kagome shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one," she quipped, smirking slightly as she turned back to watch the line where sky met sea. "But I am left with the question of what you want us to be when we get home. I can live with us just being friends, and acting out to save you from the fangirls, but I can't live with being strung along in an indefinite position."

"I would never do that to _you_ Kagome," he insisted. "How about we work towards me marrying you when I've got my degree?" Kurama asked, wrapping his hand around Kagome's and drawing it to his chest in a silent plea.

Kagome smiled. "A real relationship then," she said softly. "I can live with that."

"Congratulations," Hiei said, stepping up to them with a small smile on his face. "Both of you."

"Thank you Hiei," the pair answered together. They blinked at each other and laughed a moment at the way they had said the same thing at the same time.

"I do not want to have to be on my guard just because the two of you have teamed up," he informed them curtly once their laughter had subsided.

"Hiei, you're Kurama's fighting partner and one of my best friends," Kagome answered. "I think you're stuck as part of a trio."

"You're forgetting Shippo and the detective," Hiei said.

"No, they will sometimes be victims as well as cohorts," Kagome said with a chuckle. "You? Never."

Kurama ginned and nodded his agreement.

Eyes flashing red with contained mirth, Hiei smirked at his two friends.

~oOo~

"Hiei! Shippo! Get your fiery selves inside before those clouds decide you look too dry!" Kagome called.

"It'll hold off for five more minutes!" Shippo answered, throwing a fireball at his sparring partner.

"It will take you those five minutes to get all that ash off yourselves, and those same five minutes for dinner to be ready. So either drop the extra-curricular training session or expect Souta to start eating without you!" Kagome yelled back.

"Hn. What are we even eating tonight?" Hiei asked, not wanting to cut training for a meal he wasn't interested in.

"Chicken in plum-sauce, noodles with bacon, and stir-fried fresh greens," Kagome answered.

Both demons halted their attacks and raced inside, not wanting to have to forego their third helpings because Souta got a head start on them.

Kagome sighed and stared out at the world as the first drops of rain fell, leading the way for their companions to follow. The incident at the hospital the other day, with the doctor who had been so thoroughly convinced that the human race was a plague on the world, left the young miko very worried. Hiei had been slicing up demonic insects as he spotted them when they had only been back from the Dark Tournament for a week, and three boys had gone to Master Genkai for help with their suddenly manifested powers – powers of a similar type to the deranged doctor's – at about the same time. She had also heard talk of Kuwabara's spirit powers and awareness having fallen, possibly completely disappeared. Kurama had gone to see Koenma earlier that day about the situation.

Suddenly, Kagome shivered, feeling a brief surge of power like the doctor's, like the three boys Master Genkai had helped. She could feel the pain in their aura as well, the way it was screaming for someone to help, but also crying that it knew that nobody ever would. It was only a brief moment, but still conveyed so much.

"Here we go again," she murmured to herself.

Kagome hadn't been present for any of the fights up until that point – not even watching from the sidelines, being visited only in the event that healing was needed. She had of course heard more details from Hiei and Kurama – even if they weren't directly involved either. That painful scream in the person's aura however, made Kagome decide that the time had come for her to step up.

She was fairly sure that she had time to eat first though.

After they had eaten dinner, Shippo escorted Kagome through the streets to Yusuke's apartment complex with Hiei shadowing them. Kurama had called and said that he would meet them there – he had his answers from Koenma.

Kagome felt another, longer surge of the energy she had felt just before dinner, and begged a detour towards it. It wasn't completely out of their way, and she would stop before getting 'within range', but she just felt as though she needed to be there.

"Kagome-Kaa-san," Shippo cautioned, lacing his fingers with hers as they got closer. "You'll catch cold if you stay out in the rain too long, even if you aren't getting that wet."

"I promise, I'll be careful," she answered, recognising Shippo's way of saying he was nervous for her safety.

The fox, even with five hundred years under his belt, still sometimes worried and feared when faced with completely unknown circumstances.

When they reached the border of the surging power, Kagome was able to discern a boy in a yellow hooded rain jacket, as well as Kuwabara and three other boys inside a watery beast. The boy in the jacket was clearly the one the power was coming from, and Kagome's heart wrenched for the state of his soul when suddenly Kuwabara was able to rip his way out of the water creature. The energy sword in his hands, however, was different than the one he had used before. The boy in yellow fainted, and Kuwabara's friends were all unconscious as well.

Kagome ran forward, Shippo close behind her.

"Miss Kagome?" Kuwabara asked, surprised.

"Yes, it's me," she confirmed, "and do you remember Shippo?" she asked gesturing to the fox demon even as she summoned some of her energy to sustain Kuwabara for a little while.

"Yeah. Hey man, long time no see," Kuwabara greeted. "Uh, could you help me get these guys to Yusuke's apartment? My pals live near there, and the kid seriously needs someone who is willing to take care of him."

Kagome smiled at the big-hearted boy, then bent to pick up the boy who had attacked Kuwabara and his friends, carefully pulling him onto her back so that she could carry him without too much hassle. Shippo picked up the largest of Kuwabara's friends and arranged his passenger the same way. They both knew that if they hadn't been there, Kuwabara would have piled them all onto his back and carried them himself, and probably pass out beneath them all when he was just two feet from the door-buzzer of the apartment block.

Kagome saw Hiei dash off ahead of them, likely to inform the others – particularly Kurama – that they were on their way, and to get the medical supplies out.

~oOo~


	14. Chapter 14

The boy woke up suddenly, bolting upright as though from a nightmare.

"Welcome back," Yusuke said. He, as well as Botan, Shizuru, Keiko, Genkia, Kurama, Kagome, Shippo and Hiei had been watching the kid, waiting for him to wake up. Hiei was watching from the roof of the building across the street though, and Yusuke was the only one with a chair.

"You – You're Yusuke," the boy said, his eyes wide.

"That's right Goldie, and that's my bed you're sleeping in thanks to Miss Kagome, Shippo, and the human freight train there carrying you in so she could fix you back up somewhere warm and dry," Yusuke said, jerking his thumb at the sprawled out, snoring form of Kuwabara lying on the floor, and gesturing towards Kagome and Shippo who were leaning against the wall near the door.

"His companions, _your victims_, have survived as well," Kurama said. He, like Yusuke was frowning as he talked to the boy from where he was standing beside the Detective. "They informed us all of the encounter with you, then we erased their memories of last night so that they wouldn't be burdened by any of the darker truths."

"Like another human fighting for the wrong side," Yusuke added. "Kuwabara saved your life after you tried to kill 'im, an' Miss Kagome and Shippo. D'you think your psychic pals would've done _that_?" the detective demanded almost softly. "You owe 'em _big_, so start talkin'."

The injured blonde grit his teeth and looked away from them all.

"You don't understand. You haven't seen what I have," he started. "We should all die."

"Clarify 'all'," Kurama requested. "You mean your fellow psychics?"

"No, I mean all of us. Humans. You'd all think so too if you saw the video tape!" the kid insisted, looking up from his hands fisted in the sheets, earnest belief clear in his blue eyes as he looked around at them.

"What video?" Botan asked, confused.

"It's the video they labelled 'Chapter Black'," the boy answered.

"You've seen it?" Kurama asked, his green eyes wide with shock.

"Yes I have. Every single minute of it," the boy agreed.

"Chapter Black, amazing," Kurama murmured.

"I'm guessing you've heard of it," Yusuke said, looking up at the red head from his chair.

"It's legendary," Kurama answered. "Hiei's wanted to get his hands on that tape for years."

"That good of a flick huh?"

"It is a piece of intelligence, supposedly kept in the deepest bowels of the Spirit World's records department. The video is a compilation of crimes committed by the human race over the millennia. Crimes against their own kind, and others," Kurama answered. "This video documents their most unspeakable acts. It is said to run thousands of hours. I knew of the tape's existence, but never imagined it could be an impetus in this case."

"So many horrifying things marching across that giant screen," the blonde boy said. "You don't know what we really are, what we're capable of. I saw it all. If you saw it, you'd think differently too. You'd understand we're doomed, and so, we have to -"

Yusuke stood, kicking his chair violently as he did so. "'Have to' _what_ Sir Judge? Have to get us all eaten the hell up by some blood-thirsty monster?" he demanded, his cool thrown right out the window.

"That's right!" the blonde answered. "You're defensive 'cause you don't know the truth! Humanity only seems good to you because you were born in a peaceful time, but war's our nature, it'll always come back. Have you ever seen hundreds of frightened people standing in a line to be killed in a camp? Have you seen horsemen raid and destroy a village, dance on the bodies of their victims, crushing them as they celebrate in victory, singing happy songs? Have you ever seen a gigantic bomb wipe away millions who had never even picked up a weapon? Civil war when a mother is hacked out in front of her child, or a child in front of it's mother. And the soldier, breaking up a family who loves each other, leading them into a fire, and his eyes enjoying the torture."

Keiko was on the verge of tears, and Shizuru lead her from the room.

"Yes, I have," Shippo answered in a whisper, one that only Kagome heard. "I _have_ seen all that."

Kagome wrapped an arm around her boy, even though he was older now, and gave him a supportive, loving squeeze.

"And you think you're better than those people on the tape?" Yusuke asked.

"Well I know I'm not! Neither are you! No human can be!"

"What about Kuwabara?" Yusuke asked. "He decided to save you, right? What about Miss Kagome who carried you here after she saw the last few seconds of your fight with him? And what about Shippo who came carrying the biggest, heaviest one of all those guys and _didn't even know him_?"

Blue eyes looked from Yusuke to Kagome, wanting to know why.

"Because part of you was screaming for help," Kagome said in answer to his look.

"I thought she was nuts when she brought you in last night, and her and Kuwabara said that to me," Yusuke said, stretching up and locking his hands behind his head. "Of course, looking at you now, I have to agree. Kuwabara's got this big, oafish, bully look that you probably hate, but he cared about you. Bet you weren't expecting that, and then Miss Kagome, who had just watched you seriously hurting one of her friends, and nearly kill three other boys, just rushes to your side to help _you_."

The boy broke down crying. "Every night I see them, the victims on that tape. I've always seen myself like them, but then in my nightmares, I'm the one holding the weapons, you know? Like all along it's been me doing those terrible things, and I feel dirtier and dirtier, like I need to make up for something, but I don't even know what... Like I'm the bully! I'm sorry! I'm sorry," he wept.

Shippo looked at Kagome, then stepped around Yusuke and Kurama to sit on the end of the bed near the boy, while Kagome handed her handkerchief to Botan and led her from the room, closely followed by Yusuke and Kurama, who agreed that the boy needed to face himself before he faced them, and that Shippo would be the best to help him with that.

"I've seen all that," Shippo told him. "I lived through it."

The blonde looked up sharply, his eyes still raw with tears.

"What's your name?" Shippo asked.

"M-Mitari. Y-you've seen those horrors?"

"I may not look all that old, but yeah. I've been there when bandits raided poor villages, forcing women and killing men, chaining the children up to sell them as slaves on the black market. I saw men getting onto war ships and going out to sea. I heard sirens warning of air-strikes, and I saw people running, limping, sometimes crawling from explosions, their flesh burning on their bodies. I've seen all that," Shippo told him.

"Then you know why the human race has to be exterminated!" Mitari cried.

Shippo chuckled sadly and shook his head. "I think you're forgetting something Mitari," Shippo said gently. "The pain and suffering is only a part of humanity. There are also the good bits, like a mother caring for her child, or a man taking his kids on holiday, or that idiot there who refused to get his revenge for the pain you caused him because he could tell you were in pain already, or Kagome who cares for everybody, even when caring hurts her."

"Why would anybody do that?" Mitari asked.

Shippo locked his green eyes with the boy's blues. "Because as much as _some_ humans are selfish bastards with evil in their hearts, there are _also_ some humans who are genuinely open and caring and selfless. Kagome is one of those truly selfless people, and Kuwabara's got this honour code thing going that has him in almost the same position."

~oOo~

"Hey! Earth to Todder-bitch!" Yusuke yelled into the screen within his suitcase of detective tricks.

"Oh dear," Kurama lamented quietly.

"You shouldn't have just come out and told him that," Kagome commented with an eyebrow raised at her boyfriend.

"I guess not," he agreed before leaving the balcony to hear what Koenma had to say.

"Shinobu Sensui," Koenma said at last. "The Spirit Detective of Earth before you, Yusuke."

"Like hell I'm gonna let some jerk just like _me_ be the end of the world!"

"Well put," Kagome said with a small smirk, moving to warm up her bow and checking that the coiled string in her pocket was still in good enough condition.

~oOo~

"Sensui's world was black and white," Koenma said. "Demons were evil, so he had to destroy them."

"So what changed him?" Yusuke asked.

Kagome closed her eyes, wondering _if_ Sensui actually _had_ changed. After all, he was still out to destroy what was evil, wasn't he?

"Grey. Sakyo began it all."

~oOo~

"Two days until the portal opens," Sensui stated.

"And here we were led to believe we had the better part of a week," Kagome grumbled to Kurama as they joined Yusuke and Kuwabara in the street. Genkai and Koenma were barely a step behind them. Hiei, Kagome knew, would not likely interfere unless one of them was about to actually die, and even then he may not. Shippo was protecting Shizuru, Botan, Keiko and Mitari in the apartment.

"Now child, you should really not trust Spirit World intelligence," Shinobu chided. "Last night we made quite the break through."

"Alright, I'm takin' this one!" Kuwabara announced.

"Shut up, you'll play it like I tell you," Yusuke said quietly, halting his friend.

"You are still weak Kazuma," Kagome added. "Master Genkai and I had to heal five people last night, and as you were in the best condition of all of them, you didn't get quite as much attention."

Kuwabara backed down, though reluctantly.

Yusuke took a step forward, only to be cautioned by Koenma.

"I started him off too. He can store up his energy and fire it, just like you. After ten years, we have no way of knowing how strong he may have become," the demigod said.

"Which makes _him_ dangerous," Genkai said.

"And any initial contact a gamble," Kurama added.

"Are you listening to what they're saying Urameshi?" Kuwabara demanded.

"Hm," Yusuke snorted, smirking. "Sounds like fun," he said, and slowly walked up to his opponent. "Afternoon, Detective Sensui. Rumour is you snapped, you could only deal with the baby stuff."

"To the contrary Urameshi," Sensui answered. "I've come to lead you along the path of truth."

"I'll stop you, freak."

"You will fail."

The fight began, energies flaring before they dissipated and charged at each other, Yusuke's punch was blocked, unlike Sensui's kick. Yusuke then did an immediate repeat, before Sensui sent a ball of energy to towards the apartment complex.

"He called that Reiku Rushuyuken? Looked to me like Chu's ball of energy mixed with one of Souta's soccer moves," Kagome said, her eyes not turning to the apartment. She knew Shippo would take care of them, that they were safer than they appeared to be. If there was one thing that she and her fox kit had learned, it was to always _appear_ at a disadvantage, even when you weren't – it was a good edge to have.

Kuwabara, however, didn't appreciate the apparent danger and didn't know Shippo all that well despite having trained with him before the Dark Tournament, so he went charging back to save his sister.

"Kuwabara! Head's up!" Yusuke warned, giving his friend just enough time to duck out of the way before Sensui landed where the boy had been, creating a small crater in the concrete. "Alright guys, you go take care of the girls," Yusuke said.

Kagome rolled her eyes. Another one who didn't know Shippo well enough, but in Yusuke's defence, it was hard to think of a time when those two had said more than five words to each other until the previous night. Everyone in the apartment, heck, probably the whole complex, was perfectly safe with her son standing guard. She blinked at the thought.

"Koenma, Kuwabara, I'm sure Shizuru and Botan will feel better if you aren't in the direct line of fire and where they can keep an eye on you both," Kagome said, trying to persuade the injured and the non-fighter to get out of what was about to become a battle field.

"And meanwhile you'll be -?" Koenma asked.

"Permanently retiring his ass," Yusuke answered.

"For such a dumb kid, you've got a pretty smart mouth Urameshi," Sensui said, distaste written all over his face.

Yusuke charged again. "You like smarts? Tell me if _this_ smarts enough for ya!" His punch was a fake though, and he darted around his opponent, trying to confuse him, but as his next punch was blocked and Yusuke was once again sent flying by a powerful kick, clearly his small plan wasn't very effective.

"It's a shame Junior couldn't find a better replacement," the man said as he walked up to where Yusuke was sitting up from his latest hit. "I'm just not sure if I should be insulted or flattered."

He ran then, and Yusuke chased him.

Kurama and Kagome took off after them, with Koenma and Genkai going immediately to the apartment. Kuwabara was going to follow Yusuke as well, but Shippo ran up to him and grabbed his wrist, halting him.

"They want to use you to open the 'plastic-wrap to hell,' to quote your sister, so you _won't_ be chasing after them this time," the fox demon insisted, dragging him off back to the apartment.

"You're serious? They're actually after _me_?" Kuwabara asked, even as he let the fox drag him along.

"Yes, now move faster!" Shippo insisted. "Or suffer the embarrassment of being _carried_ by someone a bit over five hundred years old!"

"No way!" Kuwabara answered, running ahead of the fox now, determined to evade both capture and any injuries to his pride as a man by being carried by an old person, even if Shippo only looked about twenty and was a foot taller than him.

He stopped running when he heard Shippo cry out behind him, and turning to look he saw the fox land on the ground, both of his legs bleeding.

"Damn, and Kagome-Kaa-san's the one with the healing, not me,"the fox grunted in his pain.

"Hang on, I'll get you back to the apartment. I'm sure Master Genkai can do something for it," Kuwabara said, doubling back to help Shippo, only to get hit by something himself.

"Ow!" he cried, turning to see what had hit him. Sticking out of his back was a dart, and he could feel himself getting woozy. "Dammit," he cursed, as he collapsed. The last thing he saw was Sakyo, from the Dark Tournament, stepping out of the alleyway, a dart-gun over his shoulder.

~oOo~

Yusuke was knocked down, and Kurama charged, whip flying. Sensui dodged and jumped out the window, shattering it on his passage through, before he landed in the middle of town on a bridge for pedestrians to cross above the road traffic.

"Now, are you going to use that weapon where it could hit all these bystanders?"

Kurama ground his teeth as Yusuke and Kagome caught up with him.

Yusuke moved to attack again, only for Sensui to jump over the side onto the open back of a small truck. Kuwabara was also lying there, unconscious, with a large man sitting on him.

"Sakyo was driving that truck," Kagome said as she watched it turn the corner.

Yusuke wasn't listening. His friend was there and in trouble. He didn't know why, all he knew was that for some reason Sensui had joined up with the man who had pulled their strings like puppets during the Dark Tournament, and who had inadvertently screwed Sensui's mind over, and they had just kidnapped his best friend.

Shizuru showed up then at a run, panting.

"They're gonna use my baby bro to break the barrier between the human and demon worlds," she said when she caught her breath. "Mitari told us, and Shippo went out to get him, bring him inside where it was safe, but they shot him down, then nabbed Kazuma."

"Is Shippo alright?" Kagome asked desperately, her eyes wide with fear, even as Yusuke stole a push-bike and took off after his best friend, rescue and ass-kicking his intended goals.

"Yeah, Master Genkai fixed him up once Keiko and me got him to the apartment, then I ran here," Shizuru answered.

~oOo~

At the apartment, Mitari gave the full details of exactly what Sensui's plans were for Kuwabara, though he was clearly still confused about if he was their enemy or not. Kagome added her healing to Shippo's injuries until he was, once again, fighting fit.

"I trust Yusuke with a lot these days," Genkai said, "but not this."

"Then we must come to his aid," Kurama answered firmly.

"If we can find him," Genkai pointed out. "We'll round up Kaito and Yano while we're at it," she added. Her third student had been kept at the hospital. It would have been suspicious for someone so horrifically injured to be taken _away_ from a place of medicine to get fixed up, after all.

Kagome and Shippo nodded their agreement.

"Keiko, Shizuru, you stay here in case Yusuke comes back looking for us," Genkai continued, falling easily into the role of leader.

"Okay," Keiko said, nodding.

"What about me?" Mitari asked, confusion still in his eyes. "Is there anything I can help you do?"

"You should search your soul for the answer to that," Kurama said. "You are free to go with us, or you are free to be our foe, but if you choose the latter, know that the next time we meet I will show you no mercy. You must choose what you believe, and make your stand."

The group reached the bottom of the stair when they realised that they had no idea where they needed to look for Yusuke.

"Wait up! Please wait for me," Mitari's voice came from the top of the stairs. "Or is it too late for me to go with you?"

Kagome, Shippo and Kurama smiled at him, but it was Kurama who went up to offer him a friendly hand.

"It's never too late to reform one's ways, trust me," he said. "Welcome to our team."

~oOo~

The sun was going down when they found Yusuke, and Hiei with him.

"Been keeping him out of trouble?" Kagome asked the demon quietly. "Your 'avoiding everybody' act had everyone more than just a bit nervous you know," she added.

"Hn, I had no reason to defend your world Miko," Hiei answered.

"Not even ice cream?" Shippo asked.

Hiei glared at the fox demon.

"I'm glad to see you again Hiei," Kurama said, smiling genuinely. "It wasn't the same without you."

"And _I'm_ glad you decided there was a reason worthy of you fighting, even if it's only a five-litre tub of _Neapolitan_ ice cream," Kagome whispered, a promise in her voice.

Hiei smirked. "If I even stay after it's over. My home is in the demon world," he pointed out, though he appreciated the gesture, and would likely hold her to that promise if he did remain in the human world.

~oOo~


	15. Chapter 15

Kagome and Shippo waited by the entrance of the cave with Genkai, the boys she had trained, and Botan while Hiei, Yusuke, Kurama and Mitari went in ahead. It wasn't long before they came back out again.

"Our way is blocked," Kurama said.

"We need seven people to get into Amanuma's game, which we're going to have to beat if we are going to reach Kuwabara and Mr Sensui," Mitari said.

"What's the game?" Kagome asked. "I know a couple from playing Souta."

"Goblin City," Yusuke answered.

"I know that one," Kagome said with a smile.

"Yeah, me too, and I'm pretty good," Shippo added.

"I have defeated it multiple times," Kaito contributed.

"I have a whole damn room full of games, I know that one," Genkai said. "Botan, Yano, you two wait here."

With that, the increased group ran into the cave, following the lamp weeds that Kurama had laid out the first time they went in. They were eight though, and while no one was willing to go back, it was agreed that Kagome would wait outside the game.

"Sure took you long enough," Amanuma said when the doors opened up to let them in.

"You're kidding me!" Yusuke yelled. "The great Game Master is a brat kid?"

"Don't think so little of me. Let's play, shall we?"

The first game was tennis, and Mitari won it quickly, though he was sweating by the end of it from the way Amanuma was talking to him. The second was a classic fighter pilot, which Genkai took control of easily. As she had said, she could have beaten it with one hand stuck in a vice.

"You know what Master Genkai? I want to play against you in one of those sometime," Shippo said as Genkai returned to stand with them.

Yusuke beat the fighting round, then Kaito lost the master trivia after a good beginning and Hiei attempting to break them all out in the middle, only to fail. Kurama however was considering the reasoning of the game's purpose.

"Well, I'm not dead, but I guess as long as we keep up with the restart, rather than giving up, that's going to continue," Kaito said.

"I get the feeling Kagome is going to be needed after the game," Shippo said solemnly.

Hiei walked past him towards the wall.

"Hey, where are you going Hiei?" Yusuke asked.

"I know as much of games as I do of hugs and puppies, and I care for them even less," he said, reiterating a statement he had made at the Dark Tournament when the detective was absent – when a game of Janken had been used to decide who would get to take the first battle with Shishiwakamaru – though not in so many words. "Wake me for the end of the world," he added, dozing off, hands behind his head and sword at his side.

"Actually," Shippo said, "that's a good idea. Me too," he said, taking a seat a little to Hiei's left and bowing his head over folded hands. If Kagome could have seen him then, she would have gone a little nostalgic for how InuYasha used to sleep sitting up, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his haori.

"Right. Guess it's all you now Kurama," Yusuke said. "Is there any way you can whoop this kid's ass?"

"Actually, I'm more worried of defeating Amanuma, than not."

"You want to translate that?"

"As Hiei and Kaito have demonstrated, he's made it so that everyone within his territory is subjected to the rules of the game. As long as we continue to play, we live, if we give up we die. However, should we win then Amanuma must also follow his game-counterpart's fate. He is merely a pawn in Sensui's shadowy grasp," Kurama said.

Shippo and Hiei slept through the public revelation of Amanuma's death should the child lose the game, and Kagome was not even in the territory to not watch was Kurama justified killing the boy, and then won the game, thereby killing the child. She was abruptly awoken from the nap she had been taking just outside the territory when it disappeared however.

"Kagome, how are you at reviving the recently dead?" Kurama asked, his fury momentarily contained as he spoke to her.

"On a scale of one to ten?" she said her brown eyes narrowed in her own fury as she saw the boy on the floor. "A very long way away from brilliant. Shippo, Master Genkai, Kaito, will you stay and help me? You guys go on ahead. This is going to take me a while, if it works at all. Don't forget to leave your lamp weeds so that I can follow you afterwards," she insisted.

Kurama nodded and moved to the next passage. It was time to keep moving.

Kagome pulled the Shikon no Tama from her neck and pressed it over the boy's heart, her hands spreading their healing through the boy at the same time. "Kaito, I need you to breathe for him," Kagome instructed as the other boys continued on. "Master Genkai, if you could perform the spirit wave technique, I will guide it to tie his soul to his body and try and restart his bodily functions. Shippo, I think I'll need some of your energy as well as my own and the Shikon's, since I'm not using a wish to make this work." She would never, never make a wish on the jewel. Wishes never worked out right.

The three nodded.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Shippo asked quietly, laying his hands over Kagome's.

"Pray," Kagome said simply, directing energies and reaching for the boy's soul.

Koenma arrived, in his older form, when they had been at it for three solid minutes, and was awed to see how well the human girl was doing with a little extra energy. The boy was almost revived from their work, but it would take genuine Spirit World authority to make the revival a permanent one like Genkai's. Koenma knelt opposite Kaito at the boy's head, then lay a palm over his brow and chanted gently, fixing the soul in place as it was supposed to be, rather than having it only three-quarters stuck back as it had been before.

"Welcome back to the land of the living kid," Kagome said, taking the Shikon back and slipping it around her neck once more. "Master Genkai, Kaito, will you take Amanuma out of here?"

"You're going after them?" the old woman asked, as Kaito picked up the boy, who though confirmed living, had yet to open his eyes.

Kagome, Shippo and Koenma all nodded.

"Right then, come on Kaito, let's get the kid out of here," Genkai said, leading the boy and his burden back up out of the cave.

"Thank you Miss Kagome, Shippo," Koenma said. "You had him almost completely recovered. You probably would even have been able to completely revive him on your own."

"But he wouldn't have been the same afterwards from being out for so long," Kagome said, letting Shippo pull her onto his back to carry her, the way that InuYasha used to. "He may not be the same again as it is."

Koenma nodded solemnly.

~oOo~

Shippo carried Kagome faster than Koenma could run, and the two of them arrived at the cave in time to see Kurama kick a headless body towards a seated, smoking Sakyo. Sensui at least had the grace to stand in the presence of his foe, while another figure with blue-green hair just watched the tunnel, and a tied Kuwabara sitting in a boat just in front of it.

Getting down from Shippo's back, Kagome immediately marched straight up to the suited man.

"You're a real jerk, you know that?" she demanded, her finger in his face.

"What ever do you mean Miss Higurashi?" Sakyo asked.

"Remember that girl you took care of during the Dark Tournament? About so tall, dark blonde hair, honey-coloured eyes, smokes like a chimney?" Kagome prodded.

Sakyo smiled fondly. "Yes, I had hoped to find her again."

"Her name is Shizuru Kuwabara. That idiot's older sister," Kagome hissed, pointing to Kazuma in the boat. "I think you may officially be on her shit-list if you keep this up."

Sakyo frowned. "It won't matter for long. Soon, the world will be ruled by fear, and demons of immeasurable power and god-like intelligence will walk the planet."

"What idiot have you been talking to, to think that _any_ demon has 'godlike' intelligence?" Kagome demanded.

"I am quite certain little girl," Sensui said, "that the A class and S class demons have such superiority over the human race."

"No, they just have a superiority _complex_," Kagome said, turning to him. "Trust me on that, met some of them."

"How? The Kekai barrier has been in place for several hundred years," the sea-green haired one asked.

"Mr -?"

"Itsuki."

"Mr Itsuki. The barrier wasn't there _all_ of five centuries ago, and I had the opportunity a couple of years back to get to see what a world is like where demons are as every day as any other sentient creature you happen to name," Kagome said. "It's how I met Shippo, it's how I first met the Yoko Kurama. I repeat, most of the really powerful demons are _not_ superior in every way. Some of them are physically powerful, some of them can out-think the very brightest, there are one or two in a hundred of the really powerful demons who have it all – and they mostly don't give a damn about invading the human world. As for this thing," Kagome continued, marching up to the television with Chapter Black playing. She pressed the stop button and then ejected the tape. "Here, happy Armageddon Hiei," she said, tossing it to him.

The tape met his sword blade, surprising everybody.

"Damn, my sword must have slipped," he commented, re-sheathing the weapon.

"Kagome-Kaa-san, are you done being angry now?" Shippo asked, a curl in the corner of his lips that said he was amused by her behaviour.

Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening them, she walked up to the rest of the team. "Yeah, I think I'm good now," she said.

"So are we doing something about the tunnel now that you've had your yell?" Yusuke asked, dripping sarcasm from every word.

Kagome ducked her head, an embarrassed smile on her face, about to apologise when suddenly the ground opened up beneath them. Yusuke got spat back out by whatever it was that had caught them, and Itsuki joined them with Kuwabara, who he pushed in their direction and Mitari freed from his bindings. Sakyo, Kagome saw, had left the cave. Why, she didn't know, but she _did_ know that he would run into Genkai and the others before he got too far.

"Where are we?" Kuwabara demanded.

"Somewhere that you cannot interfere with the fight between Yusuke and Mr Sensui," Itsuki said, appearing near them. "After all, even if we are on different sides, safeguarding this fight is still the reason that we are all here, is it not?"

"And here I thought we came to stop the portal from opening," Shippo grumbled.

"Do not begrudge them this fight," Itsuki said gently. "They both deserve to see it to it's end without interference."

"And you want Kuwabara to see something that will bring forth the power within him that will enable him to get out of this place, because like the Kekai barrier you want him to cut down, like Mitari's territory that he has already escaped, your pet is an alternative dimension," Kagome said quietly, almost so that she was the only one who should have been able to hear it, as she folded her legs and sat on the insubstantiality.

The demons heard her though, and when Itsuki nodded, their eyes became wide.

"And now we watch," he said as two portals opened, allowing them to see the fight beyond, but not reach it.

"I am going to _sleep_ until something drastic or disturbing happens," Kagome corrected, mildly frustrated that her usual habit of just being able to walk in and out of any barrier didn't seem to work with alternative dimensions. "I used a lot of energy reviving Amanuma, and I'm guessing that I'm going to need it again before long."

Kurama moved to hold Kagome in his arms while she slept, and he watched, careful not to break her bow. Shippo also wrapped his arms around Kagome, enjoying being close to his mother as she slept, and mindful of the quiver on her back. He couldn't remember exactly when she had started carrying them every time she left the shrine – unless it was to a date with Kurama where she picked him up from his school – but it had been at least since she had come back from the Dark Tournament.

When two minutes later Sensui performed a splintered rushuyuken, Kurama asked Shippo if that counted. Shippo shook his head. When two minutes after that, Yusuke used his torn wet shirt to lock his fist with Sensui and cancel his ability to block, and then Sensui transformed his hand into the barrel of a gun, and it became known that Sensui harboured multiple personalities, Kurama again looked to Shippo. Again, the boy shook his head. When Koenma arrived just in time to distract the gun-fisted personality from blowing Yusuke's head off, Kurama was beginning to wonder what Shippo and Kagome classed as 'drastic or disturbing', as the brown fox shook his head again. When Koenma withdrew his pacifier and began the mafuken spell, Shippo watched intently, but made no move to wake Kagome, even when the gun was once again pointed at Koenma, or when Yusuke stopped Koenma and knocked him out and demanded for the top man inside Sensui's skull, and finally got Shinobu.

The manic laughter and the golden glowing energy had Shippo shaking Kagome awake.

"Five more minutes," she begged sleepily.

"No Kagome-Kaa-san," Shippo said urgently. "This you need to see."

Kagome blinked her eyes open and looked out. "Don't even give me a recap," she said. "I don't want to know. That's a 'sacred' aura. Congrats to him for cutting forty years of training down, but otherwise, it's just a pain in the rear and proved that he's completely self-righteous."

"Kagome?" Shippo asked.

"It was in the books Kurama brought for me when we first met him," Kagome said, answering the unspoken question. "I've actually made a start in training towards it myself recently. Not particularly interested in the power, but the discipline is still good."

Everyone watched from the edge of their metaphorical seats, and even Hiei started to sweat, until Koenma was able to cast his mafukan. Yet Sensui was able to block its power and disintegrate the godling's dummy and blow a hole in the ceiling.

"Oh right, I'm killing you. Forgive me I got distracted," Sensui said as Yusuke stepped up.

"No," Kuwabara denied. "Yusuke wouldn't trust us to finish this without him."

"Maybe that's just it," Kurama realised, partially horrified. "Think about what you did for Yusuke in his fight with Toguro."

"Genkai's spirit orb," Kuwabara said.

"Yes, he possessed the power, but didn't know how to tap into it," Kurama confirmed.

"Then maybe we should kill Kuwabara again," Hiei suggested.

"No, Yusuke's maxed out. We're the untapped ones," Kurama protested. "We have the power, but not the strength of mind to reach it, not without the pain of loss."

"So," Mitari said, "could we save him?"

"Wait Urameshi! You don't have to die! If you really think I have the strength, I'll find it! Please just give me the time, I swear!" Kuwabara yelled, trying to reach his friend. "Urameshi, you can't go this way! Think, what I did in that fight I did it for you! I did it for you! But you can't! You can't!" The young teen was reaching hysteria. "Urameshi!"

"The breaking point," Kurama lamented softly.

Kagome moved to wrap her arms around Kurama briefly, firmly. This was a time when comfort would do nothing to help him. She hugged Hiei the same way for a moment. He never wanted comfort, but the manifestation of sorrow would push him a little closer to the edge that he was nearing. For Kuwabara she could do nothing but watch with sympathy, and she retreated to hold Shippo.

"I won't ever forgive you! Not if you go out like this! There's nothing wrong with guy's needing each other. For me you're – you're!" Kuwabara was crying. It was heartbreaking to watch just as much as watching Yusuke walked towards the man who was going to kill him. "You always gotta be there Urameshi, don't you get it? If you're not, then who am I?"

"You will let us out _now_," Hiei insisted, turning to Itsuki and removing his cloak, his energy crackling around the warded bandages on his arm. "And I might just let you continue to have the ability to breathe."

"Hiei is right," Kurama added, drawing his rose. "We will face Sensui in a four-on-one fight,"

"Six," Shippo and Kagome corrected.

"All we need is for Itsuki to let us out," Kurama said.

"You'd still fail," Itsuki told them.

"What?" Kuwabara demanded.

"However many times you multiply zero power, you still have zero power," Itsuki told them.

"I'm insulted," Shippo growled.

"I'll show you zero power!" Kuwabara said, making to charge.

Kurama stopped him. "If we would have so little bearing on the fight, then why keep us here?"

"Well, while you were never a threat for defeating Sensui, you could, perhaps, with teamwork, _run away_," he said. "Carrying Yusuke on a shoulder as you escape the cave, deflecting Sensui's attacks."

"No," Kuwabara objected. "We don't run."

"Maybe you don't, but you should ask your more strategic friends," Itsuki suggested with a smirk as he stepped back. "Hiei, Kurama, I sense that neither one of you is far from becoming an A class demon. In fact, Spirit Fox, I believe you once were."

All three of the demons were grinding their teeth. Hiei and Kurama for being read like that, Shippo for being passed over. He was powerful and he knew it, the ease with which he cast illusions, even from great distances, his sword skills, hell, his lessons from Kurama when he was just a kit. It seemed that he had been masking his power _too_ well, but he had to, if he was going to continue to live with his family in Human World, and live there peacefully.

"Maybe you plan to escape with your lives now and prepare for the first wave of demon intruders, then make yourselves strong, defeat Sensui as a team and proceed to damage control."

"You're clever Itsuki, but you've guessed wrong."

"Don't try your bluffs on me Hiei, I know your kind too well. Just stand here and do the only thing you can: watch Yusuke die."

"You're a soulless freak!" Kuwabara yelled.

Mitari quietly tugged on Kuwabara's arm and whispered to him, saying the same things that neither of the humans had heard Kagome say when they were initially trapped.

Kuwabara started the struggle to make his new sword as he watched Yusuke getting pummelled, crying between memories and pained attempts, finally getting the sword up.

"I've done all I can, finish him Sensui!" Itsuki yelled.

Then with a stroke of his sword, they were all out, and Kuwabara yelled for Yusuke to get out of the way. Yusuke just smiled at them, and took the blow. Kuwabara's instant reaction was denial, but the hole in the heart was pretty hard to deny for long.

"Miss Kagome, you saved that kid before right?" Kuwabara asked when he found that his friend had no more heartbeat.

"I think that was my allotted miracle for the month, and I had a little more help than is sticking around right now, especially since you're all going to go after _him_," she said, kneeling heavily beside Yusuke's prone form. "I'll try though."

"Are any of you brave enough to lead the way? Attempt to finish what your late friend could not?" Sensui asked.

"Sure, bravery's the only thing we got left," Kuwabara answered.

Hiei and Kurama charged, their energies jumping.

"Hey, don't start without me!" Kuwabara called after them.

"Kagome?" Shippo asked.

The girl smiled gently at her son. "Go with them," she insisted. "Show them all what you've been hiding."

Shippo nodded and stood, running after them as well.

"Here's a one-way ticket for you straight to hell, you bastard!" Hiei yelled, unleashing his dragon of the darkness flame as he ran.

Kagome gently began mending the holes in Yusuke's body as the three demons who mattered the most to her, and a human boy with more heart than head, charged into the portal and towards the demon realm beyond.

Koenma knelt opposite her in confusion while Mitari stood watching, grieving and lost.

"I don't get it!" Koenma said at last, leaning over Yusuke's body to rest his ear against the boy's chest, now that the hole was patched up.

"He's too young to be dead," Mitari lamented.

"No, I mean that even though his heart has stopped, his ghost has yet to rise out of him," Koenma said.

"And that's not normal?" Mitari asked.

Kagome stood, Yusuke's injuries patched, and went to look for his other shoe.

"It usually emerges immediately. Last time Yusuke died, his ghost just popped right out of him."

"Wait, if he's come back before, maybe he's not really dead!" Mitari was clinging to hope.

"No, trust me kid, he's dead as a doornail. His soul is just MIA," Koenma answered.

Kagome returned with Yusuke's shoe and put it back on his foot. "Don't worry you two," she told them. "His soul is right where it's supposed to be: inside him. Just let him catch up with that before you go expecting a response."

As she spoke, a bright blue light flew down into the cavern, splitting up into several figures.

"Who are these jokers?" Kagome asked, pulling her bow from her back and gripping it tightly in the event of a threat.

"They're called the Spirit World's Special Defence Force. They're the best of the best, and Spirit World's last line of defence. My father only calls upon them in the most desperate of situations, and I guess this hole qualifies. He depends on them, unequivocally, to get the job done," Koenma answered. "Which means my father has given up faith in my ability to do so," he added, shocked and hurt by the admission.

Kagome lay a comforting hand on his shoulder, but said nothing as they watched the soldiers in their grey uniforms move, the one with the big mustache giving orders out before approaching them.

"Great, he brings the ugly ones to talk to us," Kagome muttered.

"Lord Koenma sir, are you alright?" the leader said.

"Well I did bite my tongue," Koenma admitted wryly.

"Please return to Spirit World at once where you can recuperate."

"Recuperate from biting his tongue? This guy does _not_ get humour," Kagome whispered to Mitari.

"I'm not going anywhere. This is my mess and I'm going to clean it up."

"Forgive me your highness but I'm afraid that I must insist, for King Enma has declared this a state of martial law. Meaning, for now, my jurisdiction supersedes yours. I'm sorry about this sir."

"I know what martial law is captain, I'm no idiot. But you are if you think for a second I'm going to back off without a fight."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I think he's an idiot anyway," she said to Koenma in a clear voice, not caring if it was rude to talk about the man as though he weren't there.

"If you refuse to vacate, you'll have to witness something very painful."

"Are you threatening me now captain?"

He sighed, but didn't answer.

"Hey Goldilocks, get out of the way," sneered the soldier standing at the captain's right, raising his hand and gathering his energy, blasting it at Mitari.

"Stop! He's just a kid!" Koenma insisted.

"No one will get in the way of our mission, to kill Yusuke Urameshi," the captain stated.

"What?" Koenma demanded.

"Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi, a direct descendant of the Mazoku," the captain answered.

Kagome rolled her eyes and went to help Mitari back to his feet. "Narrow-minded pigs," she muttered to herself.

"You're out of your mind!" Koenma objected.

Kagome looked sharply back to Yusuke from the corner of her eye, and hid a smirk before going back to sit beside him, arranging her miko robes comfortably around her, checking the string on her bow and counting her arrows.

"That is a violent accusation, and to level it in front of his corpse? It's ridiculous! His mother may _act_ like a monster, but his parents were human. I had an ogre do a background check," Kurama objected.

"True, as were his grandparents and great-grandparents but if you continue back much _further_," the captain alluded.

Koenma didn't want to believe it. "The atavism of the Mazoku," he said.

"That's affirmative sir. It's through that rare phenomenon that we think Urameshi inherited his demon blood, and if we're right – which by all signs, we are – he's a genetic time bomb, just waiting to trigger. The first time he died, he wasn't strong enough to awaken the beast within him, which is why he came back as a human when _you_ revived him. Inadvertently though, through his training as a spirit detective, we've amended that deficiency. Now there's nothing to stop the Mazoku gene from rearing it's ugly head."

Kagome wanted to laugh, but bit her cheek instead. She, unlike all the men standing around talking, had noticed that Yusuke had entered his first and most subtle stage of revival, and probably could hear every word they were saying. It would take a little bit longer before he revived completely though. Not that she was going to warn them.

"Except for us," the captain continued. "And if your father, King Enma, had not detected trace amounts of that same energy shooting out from Urameshi at the Tournament – well, we could have defeated one rogue spirit detective, only to give rise to another, more powerful one. Thank goodness we arrived in time to prevent it."

"He needs to learn to lighten up," Kagome muttered quietly to Yusuke's still form. "And learn more about your character."

"And my father is certain about all of this?"

"Yes. Forty-four generations ago, before the Kekai separated the worlds, _that's_ when the Mazoku planted the seed of evil that's now ready to bloom within him, which is why we must destroy his corpse!"

"You'll have to do it over my dead body," Mitari said, stepping up. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves, insinuating that he's a monster, or a traitor, or anything other than what he really is: a hero. Who do you think he's been fighting for? Who do you think he selflessly gave his life for? And this is how you reward him? It doesn't matter what's in your blood! All that matters is what's inside your heart," he insisted.

The same big nosed jerk with the lousy sense of humour appeared behind the boy, again attacking and shocking him with his energy and dropping him to the ground. "Yeah, like we're gonna trust you as a good judge of character. We know all about the last spirit detective you got involved with, and as far as I'm concerned you're still an enemy of this mission," he said, dragging the boy back to the wall.

"Control your men captain," Koenma growled. "I understand the severity of the situation, but regardless of your thug's _opinion_, Mr Mitari has proved to be an honourable ally of my spirit detective outfit. As for Yusuke, if what you're saying is true, then it's my fault for not spotting it, and I won't let him suffer for it. We _will_ find another solution captain, because that is what _civilised_ people do!" Koenma insisted.

"Forgive me sir," the captain said, bringing his own hand up to shock the godling, immobilising him and dragging him away to the wall.

"This is treason," Koenma whispered.

"Miss? We require you to step back now. I'm quite sure you heard all that was just said," the third member of the small party said to Kagome, showing respect to her gender and priestess robes, but also unable to approach any closer as she had set up a barrier around herself and Yusuke.

"I heard," she answered. "I've known Yusuke had demon blood since the moment I got a good look at him on the boat to the Tournament. I'm not budging."

"Captain!" he called suddenly. "Look at Urameshi! He's glowing!"

"Good boy," Kagome said as his body rose on its own. "Show 'em what a half-breed can do."

"Damn, it's time!" the captain yelled. "That's not spirit energy he's emitting, it's demon energy! The resurrection has begun!"

"The resurrection is nearly complete," Kagome corrected quietly.

All the SDF soldiers jumped to the task of trying to confine and destroy Yusuke.

"Fire!" the captain yelled, even as a large bird flew down the hole Sensui had made earlier. "Stop pissing your pants and fire! Keep on firing!"

Between the giant bird's wings blocking the energy attacks, and Kagome's own barrier, the SDF didn't make much of a dent in the boy. Seeing this, the SDF slowly stopped their attack out of pure fear for what they were about to face.

"Man you people sure know how to make a guy feel welcome," Yusuke said as the smoke from their attacks cleared.

"Aw, give them a break Yusuke, they're soldiers. They don't know how to throw a proper party," Kagome teased, standing up beside him within Puu's new impressive wingspan.

Yusuke chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"We're too late! The mazoku is alive!" the captain's fear was nearly palpable.

"Puu, puu!" the large bird chirped happily, nodding.

"Hey little buddy," Yusuke said, holding his hand up to pet his spirit animal. "I see you've been drinking your milk while I've been away. You know even though I was dead I could still hear some of what you guys were sayin'?" Yusuke said to the captain. "So then, I'm some kind of evil vicious monster."

Kagome bit her lip and determined not to laugh. He was playing it up, she could tell, she had experience from watching InuYasha's big tough-guy act, as well as further exposure to Yusuke's own version.

"My teachers have been saying that for years, I just thought it was an figure of speech," he said, stepping forward towards the soldiers and flaring his energy.

Kagome moved closer to Puu and stroked his feather's happily. Those SDF guys were really stupid to miss something so obvious. Would the spirit beast be so happy and friendly still if Yusuke really _was_ evil? Puu was a reflection of Yusuke's inner self, and that was final.

"You see Koenma sir how strong his demon energy is?" the captain insisted desperately.

"No, not Yusuke," Koenma said quietly, clearly in denial at what he was seeing.

The ugly soldier who had been picking on Mitari flinched back and began to beg. "Your supreme evilness, I am your humble servant, please allow me to do whatever it is you desire!" he cried, the hint that to do so he might be allowed to live clear in his desperate tone.

"Thanks, _weakling_, but for what I desire I don't need any help, for what I desire is ending the world and everyone in it!" he growled, a wicked grin on his lips. "For I am the mighty Mazoku, Lord of Evil!"

Kagome was clutching her stomach with one hand now while the other was pressed to her mouth to prevent any laughter from escaping. He was so playing this to the last degree! He should have been an actor, with the way he was hamming it up.

"And now, after hibernating for a thousand years I will finally reveal my true form!" he declared, and began to laugh, maniacally, showing off his new fangs.

When the SDF started running, Yusuke chased them, pulling faces, before he went back to stand near Kagome and Puu, posed like he was some kind of demented ballerina.

"Psyche! Man you guys are gullible!" Yusuke yelled, laughing chuckling at his joke.

Kagome finally let some of her own laughter through.

"I can't believe they really fell for that," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Clearly, they don't know you that well."

Yusuke chuckled. "Ha, yeah. Hey Koenma, you didn't really think I'd turn bad right?"

"Well I, uh, no," Koenma said. That he'd been worried was clear, but he hadn't wanted to believe it.

"Anyway, I'd better push off to demon world. Sensui gave me a death sentence as a gift, and I'd be a jerk if I didn't return the favour," Yusuke said, looking at the portal.

"Hiei, Kurama, Shippo and Kazuma have already gone ahead," Kagome said. "They aren't expecting you, but it was your party first, so you can't really crash it."

"Good one Kagome," Yusuke said, smirking.

"But you can't go anywhere! You have to be quarantined!" the captain insisted.

"You even think about stopping me, and I'll bite off your head, mustache and all!" Yusuke snapped, baring his fangs again.

Kagome sniggered when the captain backed off.

"I knew you couldn't hide your true character. You've transformed into a demon menace."

"Look jerk, give me a break, it's called a running joke. I'm the same. Yusuke Urameshi, fearless protector of the good stuff, with a healthy kickin' ass fist and a general hatred of authority," the boy declared happily. "And nothing as trivial as a violent death and a few drops of demon blood mixed in with mine is gonna keep me from helping out my friends and saving the world, and kicking the bad guy's ass."

"So what are you waiting for? A gold embossed invitation? Let's go already!" Kagome said, climbing onto Puu's back.

"Hold on, I'm coming with you!" Koenma said, laughing in relief as he moved towards the large blue spirit beast as well.

The captain grabbed Koenma's robes.

"But sir! You will be disobeying a direct order from King Enma! Besides this hostile beast -"

Yusuke'd foot abruptly cut off the captain's triad. "Pass _this_ to King Enma for me!" he said before the man fell over.

"I didn't even hit him hard," Yusuke chuckled jumping up onto Puu's back with Koenma.

"Koenma, I've _tried_ to save you!" the captain called.

"You can tell King Daddy that, and that he can disown me or fire me or put me up for adoption!" Koenma answered.

"You didn't fix up Mitari Kagome?" Yusuke asked, spotting the out cold boy against the wall.

"And leave your mostly-dead body for them to get close to? No, he'll have a headache when he wakes up, but he's fine otherwise," she promised.

"Well, we'll be back for him soon. Let's go to demon world Puu!" Yusuke yelled.

The large bird took off with a triumphant cry, and once they were through the portal into the pseudo space, Koenma felt the need to inform his spirit detective of a somewhat important detail.

"Now Yusuke, you do understand that there is a chance we won't be able to go back?" he called up.

"Yeah, shut up. I can't worry about that now! Remind me _after_ we've beaten Sensui!" Yusuke yelled back.

Kagome and Koenma both chuckled at the bone-head's single-minded determination.

"You are as irrational as ever!" Koenma said.

"Like I'm gonna give that up! It's the only thing that makes this job any fun!" Yusuke answered with a grin. "Come on Puu! Faster!"

"Which reminds me, you were going to see about getting _me_ a spirit beast," Kagome said, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Huh? Oh, uh," Koenma fumbled a moment. "I couldn't get permission to allot one to a living person, I'm sorry."

"That's rules for you," Kagome said, disappointed, but figured one spirit beast was probably enough for Tokyo to handle at any given time. Pulling out the Shikon no Tama she checked that it was still as pure as ever. It glowed a bright and healthy pink. "I'm going to need to put a barrier around that so the demon's don't know I've got it," she said quietly before shoving it back down her kimono front.

"Hey tool brigade! Get out o' the way!" Yusuke yelled, causing Kagome and Koenma to look up and see the Kekai barrier, and the hole in it. "And get some _cool_ uniforms while you're at it!" he added as Puu swept over the SDF soldiers on border guard and they went through the hole.

~oOo~


	16. Chapter 16

It didn't take them long to find the others once they were out of the pseudo space – and Sensui with them. It looked like he'd been giving them something of a hard time though.

"I'm sorry I got delayed. Traffic was a bitch," Yusuke said when they were close enough. "But I'm back, and I'm ready to finish this!"

Puu landed, and they all disembarked.

"Impossible," Sensui said.

"Is that him?" Hiei asked, staring.

"But how?" Kurama asked, his eyes darting to Kagome. He knew she'd promised to try, but he hadn't been sure he believed her.

"Some friends you are," Yusuke said, walking up to them, a pouting scowl on his face and his demon energy rippling gently over his form. "Ditching a guy when he's down and then hogging the bad guy all to yourselves. I gotta admit I'm disappointed in you jerks, but did you honestly think I'd just lie there and let you fight my battles for me? Gimme a break!"

"Urameshi! But you were – well you were definitely dead, I swear it! Your heart stopped beating, I double-checked!"

"And Kagome said she didn't have any more miracles up her sleeves," Kuarma added.

"Yeah, no, I can't explain that. In fact, my ticker's still not ticking. I guess I should be worried, huh?" Yusuke asked, touching where Kagome had healed the wound on his chest.

Kagome smiled as she saw understanding dawn on the faces of the three demons. Shippo, Kurama and Hiei all chuckled before real laughter escaped them, and they had to hold their sides as they sat there laughing at the boy. Yusuke chuckled as well.

"You'll get used to that," Kurama assured him, having calmed down first. "You see _demon_ hearts don't beat in the conventional _human_ sense," he said.

"Demon?" Kuwabara demanded.

"Yes demon," Koenma answered, walking up.

"I keep hopin' I'll wake up soon," the large carrot top said.

"It's no dream. Yusuke has had dormant blood inside him. Mazoku blood, which would explain a few things, I'd say," Koenma said, almost snapping now that the shock had worn off.

"Give him a break, Koenma. You know Yusuke's alright, being a half-breed isn't going to make any difference to his personality," Kagome said, waving off the junior god's peevishness.

"I still don't get how you knew about this and didn't tell anyone!" Koenma said, turning on her, frustration written across his face as clearly as the 'Jr' on his forehead.

"But I did!" Kagome answered with a bright smile. "Way back when I met Yusuke on the boat, remember? I said, 'one doosey of a surprise, and I'm not spoiling it,' remember? You should have looked it up."

"Yeah, leave Kagome alone," Shippo added.

"I'm still confused," Kuwabara said.

"Funny story," Yusuke said. "One of my ancestors was this 'Mazoku' guy, so when I died I was able to come back, but like him."

Kuwabara went pale and flinched back. "So you are a demon!"

"Transmigration, the atavism of the Mazoku," Sensui said, amazed.

"That's correct," Koenma said, frowning.

"I had no idea you were one of us, Yusuke. How does it feel to be so superior now?" Hiei asked.

"Honestly? I don't feel all that different," Yusuke answered. "I mean, I haven't sprouted horns or extra eyes yet. But I do have this sudden burning desire to tear this guy to pieces," he said, looking from his body up to Sensui.

"Good laugh, I'd say. Let me see if I can do an impersonation of Koto," Kagome said, grinning and winking at Shippo, who hadn't gone to the Dark Tournament, but rather stayed to protect the shrine, and just watched them on television. "In this corner, protecting the entire Human World, it's the half-demon Yusuke Urameshi! And in this corner, advocating the complete destruction of the human race, it's the ex-spirit detective and total nut-job of a human, Shinobu Sensui!"

"So how about it Sensui? Ready to feed some worms?" Yusuke called over.

"Hey, don't forget about us," Shippo objected, standing up, his energy flaring around him.

"Back off Yusuke," Hiei said as he stood. "We're in the middle of something, and I've suddenly discovered my second wind." Hiei's energy also grew suddenly.

"No you three, I will take him," Kurama countered, his energies likewise increasing.

"What is this, a prom date dispute?" Yusuke asked. "I mean I'm sure Sensui's flattered by the popularity and all, but this is my damn fight. I hate to say it Kuwabara, but you're the only one acting sane."

"That grin doesn't look very normal to me," Kagome commented wryly, observing that the aura surrounding him was also stronger than before.

"I'm ready! And better than ever!" Kuwabara said, jumping to his feet and clenching his fist. "So stand back. I'll kick his butt myself!"

"You do realise he'll be kicking back," Hiei said flatly, unimpressed with the human.

"Yeah, and after him, you're next!"

"There won't be a next."

"Just shut up!"

A chuckle rippled through the group before Yusuke turned serious.

"I can sense how strong you've become, and I appreciate your help, but I have to finish this alone," he said quietly, his demon energy coating his skin in a mottled red glow. "You dig?"

They all nodded.

"Knock 'im dead, Yusuke Urameshi," Hiei said, his hand pointed like Yusuke's spirit gun. "But if you fail, know I've got your back."

"You've been watching too many of Souta's TV shows," Shippo said quietly.

"Hmph. You're the one who said I had to," Hiei retorted, his own voice just as low.

Yusuke nodded and turned from them, walking up to Sensui.

"Right, so you're all powered up again, but you are _also_ still all battered about," Kagome said, running her critical brown eyes over the four who had been fighting against Sensui. "Kuwabara first, as the only human," she said, and proceeded to treat his injuries. From him she moved on to Shippo, who was probably least hurt of them due to the _way_ he fought, then Hiei, despite his protests that he was fine. "Like hell," she growled and tugged what remained of his shirt off so that she could reach his injuries unimpeded. Kurama she saved for last, and took her time gently caressing the spirit fox's skin and rubbing his ears as she healed his wounds.

"If you're done makin' out now," Kuwabara said, "I think we'd better get out of the way."

~oOo~

A collection of hurricanes, whirl winds, tornadoes, whatever you want to call them, created by the power of the two fighters, forced the friends to back off. Just as the air-space was deemed safe and they were coming back, another sprang up.

"Hey, what's happened to him now?" Kuwabara asked. "I mean, is that really even him?"

"He's lost control," Kagome answered sadness lacing her voice.

"Lost control? What does that mean?" the boy asked.

"Is that like with InuYasha?" Shippo, transformed into a bird, turned to see Kagome and Kurama on his back, though he was only asking his mother.

"Yes," she answered. "His demon blood has taken control in order to preserve his life and win the fight."

"What are you talkin' about? And what's with that hair? It looks like he's been playing with an electric socket!" Kuwabara demanded.

"It appears that Yusuke's body has accepted the transformation that the Mazoku desired," Kurama said, answering Kuwabara's question, at least regarding Urameshi's new look.

"Did you see that! Sensui cracked a smile when he saw our creepy half-breed. He really is an arrogant creep isn't he?" Kuwabara observed.

"Pretty much, but that's not what Sensui's smiling about," Koenma answered. "He's undergone a profound transcendent metamorphosis."

"Spiritual awakening," Kagome translated shortly, before Kuwabara could ask what that meant.

"Back in the cave, his fighting was filled with such loathing, callousness, and self-hatred. He was so dark, even for a bad guy, but now that's gone," Koenma continued.

"Yes, as if he's suddenly come to terms with his place in the world," Kurama said, looking over Shippo's shoulder at the fight below. "Achieved some sort of balance."

"What a jerk," Kuwabara stated.

Then Yusuke went truly wild, and the weather with him.

"Unreal," Kazuma breathed in awe.

"Why can't they ever have this power at the _start_ of cases?"

"Yusuke's ancestor must have been a formidable warrior. As a mere human, Sensui doesn't stand a chance of beating him," Hiei observed.

"Let's hope so," Koenma murmured.

"_Out of the way dumb-ass_!" Yusuke yelled suddenly, when his spirit gun was moments away from hitting Sensui.

"Looks like he's regained control," Kagome said. "Shippo, Puu, we'd better go down!"

"Right!" Shippo answered and began to descend. Puu followed behind.

~oOo~

"Whoever fired that shot, it wasn't me. I mean it was my body that did it, but it wasn't me in there when it happened, do you understand?" Yusuke said, still shaking Sensui, wanting him to wake up so that he could finish the fight for himself.

"Look Urameshi, I think you need some rest," Kuwabara said.

"Yes Yusuke," Kagome said gently, kneeling down opposite him, looking him straight in the eye. "I understand. I've seen it happen before, with another half-demon. I know you're unsatisfied, but he's not getting up in any kind of permanent way, so you're going to have to let him go." Never mind that she knew from personal experience of being possessed as well and had hurt InuYasha several times during those possessions. She tried to forget about those times except for when she was meditating on her spiritual and mental defences, so that it wouldn't happen again.

Sensui chose that moment to cough up some blood.

"He's not dead! Kurama, can you give him something to make him better?" Yusuke asked.

"I'm afraid I used up most of my energy in the fight against him, the most I can do now is ease his final pain," Kurama answered.

"What about you Kagome?" he said, turning back to the girl.

"Look buster, I appreciate you're torn up over this, but I've revived one kid today, healed you when you were dead – which is a lot harder than healing you when you're alive I might add – and then I healed those four when we got here!" Kagome snapped. "I'm good, but I'm not a bottomless pit of power!"

"Please!"

Kagome huffed a sigh. "I never could say 'no' to a hanyou," she grumbled, pulling out the jewel and holding it in her hands as she worked to heal Sensui's internal injuries and seal the bleeding wounds. How the jewel remained untainted when she used it's power for healing, Kagome could only guess as it being a selfless act of helping someone else, so the jewel remained pure.

"You needn't have bothered," Itsuki said, appearing through his own dimensional rift.

"Don't tell me -" Kuwabara gasped.

"Itsuki!" Yusuke said, standing.

"Please, just let Shinobu go," the demon said, stepping out of his small portal to stand by the dying body of the man he loved.

"If I'm gonna kill a human, even an evil one, it's at least got to be me pulling the trigger!" the boy insisted. "I'll never know it was me who made that choice!"

"Don't torture yourself, Shinobu had only half-a-month left to live anyway," Itsuki said, a quiet tear running down his face.

"Shinobu was suffering from a rare and terminal disease. Dr Kamiya confirmed that, though not even _he_ could cure it. An ordinary person would have lost the fight a long time ago, but not Shinobu."

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Yusuke demanded. "Because if it is, it's not funny."

"He's telling the truth," Sensui rasped out, coughing slightly. "But I'm not making excuses for my loss," he continued, pulling his arms in to his body and raising himself up slightly on his elbows.

"Don't move," Kagome insisted, gently pushing him back down, though her eyes were hard. She was still healing him after all.

"Your final attack Yusuke, with it you proved to be much stronger than I," he said, laying back.

"But, that wasn't even my power! I had no control over my body! You and me, we're not finished yet! I need to know who's really stronger!" Yusuke insisted, getting down on his knees to look the fallen man in the eye.

"Trust me, consciousness exists on many levels. Part of you that was ready to make the choice must have taken control, but it was definitely you," Sensui answered, a small smile on his face. "A _demon_ you who killed me."  
"Dammit, you're not listening to me! It wasn't me! I can't be happy! I'll give you time to heal up, you take some painkillers now and we'll do it over!" Yusuke insisted, dragging the man up by his shirt.

"Less rough-handling now if you want him to last until later Yusuke," Kagome said, prying his hands from Sensui's shirt and lowering the man gently to the ground again.

"Only Yusuke would still want to fight a man after he's dead," Hiei commented flatly, embarrassed to know the detective. "Wake me when it's over," he added, going to sleep on his feet, only for Puu to catch him and deposit the demon on his soft feathered back.

"Don't just stand there Koenma, you've gotta have some powers that can bring him back!" Yusuke said.

"I did, but unfortunately they were stored in my pacifier which I drained empty in the cave trying to stop him. He's the author of his own fate once again."

Kagome stretched her arms and moved to healing Sensui's broken bones. There were rather a lot of them, and she had needed a moment to check her own power reserves before continuing to do anything else for the dying man.

"You know Urameshi, you dissolve the barriers between the humans and the demons in ways I could never have imagined. First demonised in a human's body, and then humanised in a demon's body. I feel at peace, and can now finally rest," Sensui said. "You are the justice I could never find. Great changes will come through you. Someday when you're lying in my position, you'll know a dying man's need for closure, but until then, thank you," and with that his eyes closed, his head falling to the side.

"Oh, I'll take you myself," Koenma said, stepping forward.

"I won't let you," Itsuki stated firmly. "Shinobu's dead. You got the end you desired, so don't you think he deserves the same?" he asked, clenching his fist and looking away from all of them, his grief and pain contained for now, where he could be seen. "He devoted the last ten years to refuting everything you believe in. He didn't live by your standards, and he certainly didn't want to die by them. So I won't let you take him to spirit world, for you to judge him in your way," Itsuki said, kneeling at Sensui's head. "See? Being defeated by the mazoku is exactly the cathartic jolt he needed to resolve his inner turmoil, and pay off his guilt. He finally conquered those six personalities and emerged as Shinobu. His original, untainted self. So in a way he's already been redeemed and doesn't need you to do it for him."

Itsuki used his energy to raise Sensui and caught him lovingly in his arms.

"Where will you take him?" Koenma asked.

"Somewhere his soul won't be subjected to the overbearing scorn and judgement of your kind," Itsuki answered, his dark portal opening behind him. "Where it will be safe from hypocritical administrators who train a boy to be a killer, and then hunt him down for being one as a man. You people do not deserve Shinobu's soul," Itsuki said fiercely. "Your spirit world will have to create another enemy so you can keep on fighting, as that is after all, what you do. But Shinobu and I grow weary of that, we are going to spend the rest of eternity together, in solitude, and in peace," Itsuki said, fading into the blackness that was his very own until he could barely be seen.

"He'll probably be hungry when he wakes up, so wherever you go, make sure there's food," Kagome said when the hole began to shrink away.

"WHAT!" Yusuke demanded.

"Lucky him, I started healing him _before_ he was actually dead," Kagome commented, smiling wryly. "It just drained a lot of energy from both him _and_ me so that he stayed alive. I wonder how he'll take waking up," she said, trying not to laugh. "Couldn't do anything about what was already killing him – that disease Itsuki talked about – but I think Sensui should get that full half-month."

"So, I didn't kill him?" Yusuke asked.

"If I hadn't been here, he would be dead," Kagome answered sharply. "It may be that as far as he's concerned, you did, but as for your moral dilemma of not knowing if you were strong enough to kill him? Yes, you are capable. Your willingness is something you're going to have to sort out yourself."

"Question Urameshi," Kuwabara said, changing the topic. "Don't you feel kinda weird?"  
"Now that you mention it, something on my back has been makin' it itch," Yusuke said, pulling on some of his hair, then noticing the tattoos. "I must look like I've been playing around with an electric socket!"

"See now that's just what I said," Kuwabara said.

"Be glad it isn't white any more," Shippo quipped.

"That's just the physical resemblance to your ancestor rising to the surface Yusuke, though I'm beginning to believe that he may still be alive around here somewhere," Koenma explained.

"So it was probably him that turned me into his personal marionette."

"What makes you say that?" Kurama asked.

"Oh, it could have been the voice in my head, but you never know. I hear him talkin' in my head and when I came too, I'd just fired my spirit gun. Well, let's go!"

"Where this time?" Kagome asked.

"If my ancestor is here and still alive we have to find him!"

"Oh, come on Urameshi! We closed the case and saved the world, can't we at least take a nap?" Kuwabara asked.

Kagome shook her head absently, not refusing Kuwabara's request, but resigned with Yusuke's attitude. "It's important that all half-breeds know as much about their lineage as they can. I doubt that Yusuke is interested in another black-out with his demonic side overpowering him, robbing him of control while he wreaks havoc," she said quietly. However, she _also_ doubted that Yusuke was really ready to go walking about in Demon World.

Shippo nodded, his face solemn. He had been terrified when that had happened to InuYasha. He knew that even _Sesshoumaru_ had paused in momentary fear when confronted with such a powerful demon with absolutely _no_ control.

"I'm not gonna rest until I get to the bottom of this!" Yusuke promised, slamming a fist into the palm of his other hand. "My ancestor got in the way of my fight, and I can't let him get away with that, no matter _who_ he's related to. If you aren't with me, fine. I'll just stay and find him on my own."

"You know Yusuke, you may want to give this more thought," Koenma pointed out. "The SDF have no doubt been busy little beavers while we've been gone, damming up the tunnel on the human world's side. Now those toadies may be many things, but they are _not_ inefficient. That hole will be filled in like a cavity within a matter of days."

"Wait a minute," Kuwabara said, "if the hole is sealed up then we, uh -"

"Won't ever be able to return to human world again," Koenma confirmed.

"You mean I'll never eat another double-cheese burger!"

"Among other things you'll never get to do again," Kagome said calmly. "Like see your sister, or your friends, or even your cat. Kurama's mother will have no idea what happened that he suddenly disappeared. Yusuke will probably never get to see Keiko again. I'll miss out on my little brother's next birthday, and my mother's home cooking. Mitari will think we have forgotten him, and Master Genkai will be forever lost as to the fate of her 'favourite dimwit'."

"You can go back to human world now," Koenma said, "or stay here in demon world forever, but you have to choose."

"Cue dramatic lightning," Kagome muttered as a bolt flashed through the sky.

"I'll give you a couple of minutes to think it over Yusuke," Koenma offered.

"Ha! I don't need it, I've already made up my mind," Yusuke said, turning away from his friends, fists clenched.

"What?" Koenma asked, shocked and concerned.

"Load up Puu, let's go back home," Yusuke said gently, smiling back at his friends.

~oOo~


	17. Chapter 17

When they popped out the human world side of the portal, the SDF soldiers were knocked back off their feet. Two giant birds with a half-tonne of power each, easily, will do that to a person. Shippo changed back once Kagome and Kurama jumped off his back and landed on the ground. Puu flew up out the hole in the roof after Yusuke, Koenma and Kuwabara were down and he'd picked Hiei off his back, handing him over to Kurama to carry.

It was a bit of a walk, but the crisis was over, and it felt really good to walk out of the cave and into the pre-dawn light, with their friends and allies – including Mitari – standing there waiting for them.

Kagome smirked then quickly bit her lip to keep from laughing when she saw Shizuru using a tied up Sakyo for a chair as she lit her cigarette with his lighter. The word 'whipped' came to mind, and they weren't even officially in any kind of relationship yet.

"Yusuke!" Keiko yelled, running straight for him and throwing her arms around the boy.

"Oh Yusuke, always stopping my heart," Botan added, also running up. "Though not always with make overs. What is this?"  
"I'd kill to get my hair to grow that fast," Yano said.

"Those markings, are they tribal incantations?" Kaito asked, fiddling with his glasses.

"What is this, a press conference? Gimme a break, like I know how this happened," Yusuke answered with a chuckle. "Hold those thoughts guys, I gotta take care of something," he added more seriously, turning back to the cave with a frown.

It seemed that the SDF had recovered.

"It appears not everyone feels that this case is resolved," Kurama observed.

"Koenma! You know Spirit World won't overlook this treason," the captain said.

"Treason?" Kuwabara asked.

"Oh yeah, you weren't around for their little argument," Kagome said, tapping her chin.

"You have disobeyed my orders, delivered directly from your father, to erase that boy! You've let the Mazoku emerge, fully knowing what that could bring. You'll take responsibility and come with us," the captain insisited.

"Yes, I'm no fool captain. I realised what the consequences would be," Koenma agreed, bowing his head in submission.

"You stupid tools!" Yusuke said, balling his fists. "Think you can hide behind your uniforms and push people around? Look, I don't start fights with the defenceless, but you're really starting to piss me off, and that's a whole different thing. And since you're new here I'll give you a tip: threatening the guy who helped save us will _definitely_ piss me off. Koenma did what he could to help, and if that's what it takes to protect him, I'll kill you all, one by one."

The captain stumbled back in fear at that statement, which really didn't help the imposing figure he was trying to portray himself as.

Yusuke just flexed his power a little bit, scowling with his teeth bared.

"They've got a way with words, these powerful, half-demon types with bad attitudes and people they care about," Kagome observed. "And don't you have a hole you're supposed to be fixing?"

"I'd love to accept the challenge, but sealing the tunnel takes precedence. Let me assure you, this isn't over," the captain said, trying to get his cool back too late. Everyone had seen him sweating as he forced his spine straight. Still, it was probably the most honourable retreat he was going to get in the circumstances. "Soldiers!"

"Sir, yes sir!" they answered, glowing and dashing back into the cave.

"Sorry, was that a little much?" Yusuke asked as he turned to Koenma.

"Not at all Yusuke," he answered gratefully. "Took the words right from my mouth."

"Man I missed that sun," Yusuke said, turning to watch it rise of the city. "Matter of fact, I think I'll go find a hammock."

"I have a better idea," Kagome said, resting her head on Shippo's shoulder, as Kurama's was taken at that moment by the sleeping Hiei. "How about you all come over to my family's shrine? Pancakes, freshly squeezed orange juice, bacon, eggs, sausages, on the house. We can probably set up a hammock if you want Yusuke. Mama and Souta would love to hear about all this, and it's been a while since we had a real half-demon in the house."

"Wh-what?" Koenma asked, stopping in his tracks even as everyone began to follow Kagome – Kuwabara carrying the bound Sakyo.

Kagome smiled. "Well, you'll just have to come and ask Souta for all the details, won't you?" she teased, a cheeky half-grin tugging at her lips.

"Hey Keiko, Koenma, if you really like that cave so much, we can come back another time!" Yusuke called back.

"Coming!"

~oOo~

Kagome watched Yusuke carefully as the day wore on, talking to various members of their party about the boy. She knew about half-demons better than anyone in that group except for maybe Shippo, and most of his experience with InuYasha had been as a child.

"What are you thinking my love?" Kurama whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm thinking that if Yusuke is the heir to the Mazoku, and his ancestor is alive, the old guy is probably going to want to meet his kid, and Yusuke needs that. I'm also thinking he's not ready for a world full of demons, and that his friends aren't going to be too happy about him going back to demon world," she answered, looking across the room. "Particularly Keiko."

"I don't begin to understand the relationship that those two have," Kurama admitted.

"Then you are fortunate," Kagome said, turning her head to kiss his cheek.

Kurama blushed slightly, but smiled fondly at the action, and reciprocated.

"What do you plan to do about it? Don't try and deny it either, if you were thinking that, then you're planning _something_," Kurama said.

"I'm thinking it's time we went camping," she answered.

"And by 'we', who do you mean to include?"

"You and me, and of course Yusuke, as the trip will be for his benefit. Keiko probably as well, so that they can sort out whatever it is they've got. Hiei and Shippo too, if they want to go," Kagome answered.

"Not Kuwabara? He won't like being left behind."

Kagome shook her head. "He's not going to demon world, and he has enough of an understanding of his powers and the world around him that he should be okay. Besides, his sword will help Shizuru keep Sakyo in line, and I know Shizuru wants him to do well in school."

Kurama nodded his understanding. "My mother is remarrying soon. I'm going to try and use that to slip out of her life."

"Won't work," Kagome stated. "She's your mother, she'll be interested in what you're up to until the day she dies."

Kurama gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, at least I can move out of the house. Perhaps even..."

"Move in with me?" Kagome suggested slyly. "That means putting up with Gramps all the time you know, not to mention Souta, Shippo and Hiei."

"That's twice I've heard my name in your conversation," Hiei said, walking up to them with a frown on his face. "I thought I was promised to not be a victim of any of your plans."

Kagome laughed. "Actually, Kurama was just talking about leaving Shiori to come and live at the shrine with us. I was just warning him about having to live with you all the time," she answered.

"That accounts for one mention of my name," Hiei said.

"The other was a plot about Yusuke," Kurama answered. "He is going to need help adjusting to being a demon. Kagome was suggesting a camping trip, and who might come with us."

Hiei nodded. "Hn, that sounds reasonable. Who else do you intend to take on this camping trip?"

"The three of us, Shippo, Yusuke of course, and Keiko," Kagome answered, tapping her chin, Kagome thought of one more. "And Puu. Yusuke needs to learn about interacting with his spirit beast now that he's had an upgrade."

Hiei frowned. "Why the human girl?" he asked, glancing at the girl in question.

"Because she's the person with the greatest emotional attachment to Yusuke apart from Kuwabara, and he knows more about demons than she does. Keiko needs to learn about what Yusuke has become, and figure out if she can handle that. Yusuke needs to know if she can handle that as well," Kagome answered firmly. She wouldn't accept refusal of Keiko's attendance on this trip, from Hiei, Keiko herself, or anybody.

"I'll go and approach them with the idea," Kurama said, removing his arms from around Kagome and giving her a peck on the cheek before he walked off.

"Anything you want to pack?" Kagome asked Hiei. "And don't say ice cream, it won't keep without a freezer and we can't take one with us."

"I travel with nothing carried but my sword," Hiei answered flatly.

"Always good to have someone who doesn't have any load to bear but the one on his soul," Kagome said with a resigned sigh, causing Hiei to growl, but she just walked off to tell Shippo and the rest of her family about the planned camping trip before heading over to a doubtful Yusuke and a reluctant Keiko, who Kurama was clearly having a hard time convincing that this camping trip was a good idea.

"I hate hiking," Yusuke stated. "I don't see why I would like camping any better."

"I'm not sure about going away for so long, and what about baths and stuff?" Keiko asked.

Kurama was struggling. He knew how he had lived before modern convenience, and while he had been at ease in a completely natural environment, he didn't really know how to sell it to these younger teenagers who had grown up with every luxury being at their disposal. He looked to Kagome for help.

She dropped the bombshell.

"You don't have a choice," she told them flatly. "This camping trip is neither optional, nor just for the sake of having a bit of fun in the woods. Keiko, Yusuke, you _both_ need to sort out what you want from your lives, long term, and you need to figure it out _now_. If you want a normal life where you go to school, study, play video games, eventually graduate and get a regular job, or if you want to stay mixed up with the comings and goings of the spirit and demon worlds. You're also going to have to figure out what those choices mean for your relationship, because those two options I just gave you? They aren't compatible," Kagome stated. She wasn't completely unkind about it, but she was still almost brutally honest, and gave the kids the facts that they needed to know. "You will _both_ meet here at nine a.m. in seven days time with whatever you need to get you through a week, and that you can carry for a few hours without getting too tired."

"Yes ma'am," Keiko and Yusuke answered nervously, gulping in the face of Kagome's direct orders.

"Hiei and Shippo are coming with us as well, to help teach you about what demons are like," Kagome added. "I will see you both at nine a.m. sharp, ready for a week of roughing it, and Yusuke," she said, fixing her eyes on him. "Don't cut off the hair. Think of it as weight training for your neck."

~oOo~

Kagome stood next to Kurama at Shiori's wedding, two days after the Chapter Black case was closed, the day before final exams, and Kurama told his mother then his intentions to move out of her home and live with Kagome and her family. That, in conjunction with three plane tickets to Hawaii – one each for Shiori, her new husband, and his son – was his wedding gift to her. She couldn't have been happier.

Kurama and Kagome had graduated, and would be living together, engaged with the approval of all family members, including Shipppo. The full extent of their relationship was kept very quiet however. They didn't need the Demon World knowing about it after all.

~oOo~

"Kagome, you're even crazier than Grandma!" Yusuke complained as they hiked through a forest a few hours out of Tokyo. "I hate hiking!"

"Would you rather run to our camp site?" Kagome asked.

"I don't know where we're going, remember?" Yusuke said waving his arms around in exasperation.

Kagome smirked. "I never said anything about you taking the lead Yusuke, just suggested you might prefer running to walking."

"If I run, you won't be able to keep up, and Keiko really wouldn't," Yusuke growled.

Shippo halted and moved to stand beside Kagome, bracing his legs slightly apart.

"So carry her," Kagome told him, grabbing Shippo's shoulders and resting her knees over his hips, stabilising herself without Shippo having to hold her.

"What the hell?" Yusuke said, staring. "That doesn't look safe!"

"I agree," Keiko said, eyeing the position distrustfully.

"Safe as houses," Shippo countered, jogging around the small group with Kagome lightly holding onto him. "Look Ma, no hands," the fox demon teased gently, getting a laugh out of Kagome as he stopped.

Kagome slid off Shippo's back, whispering in his ear before stepping away from him.

"Well, if you don't think you can carry her Yusuke, then I guess I will," Shippo said, walking up to Keiko and pulling her onto his back, despite her – rather loud – objections.

Kurama allowed Kagome to climb onto his back in the same manner, then the two fox demons took off with their cargo of women, leaving a very shocked Yusuke behind with a smirking Hiei.

"I think that a fox just stole your woman Yusuke," Hiei observed. "You'd better catch up with them before she learns any of the wonders of fox demons."

"Meaning what?"

"You cannot be so blind as to fail to see that all fox apparitions are physically beautiful Yusuke, even when they disguise themselves as humans to avoid detection by Spirit World. Of course, by now they are easily a few miles ahead of us."

"What!" Yusuke demanded.

"Hn. Can you not smell the scent they left behind? Or sense their energies at all? Find something to follow, detective," Hiei said, jumping up into the trees and taking off himself.

"Damn!"

~oOo~

"We're here," she said, slipping off Kurama's back and watching Shippo put Keiko down on the ground once again. "Did you enjoy that Keiko?"

"It was fun I guess. Mostly I was just scared though. Um, are you sure it's okay to just run off like that? What about Yusuke? I thought this camping trip was to help him with his, uh, his..." Keiko trailed off.

"Say it Keiko," Kagome insisted. "If you can't do even that, then there is no hope for you accepting _him_. You both deserve to know if you are capable of doing that. Even if you can't accept it completely, you must at least acknowledge it, or you won't be able to move on."

"You sound like Master Genkai," Keiko said quietly.

Kagome smiled, flattered, but didn't relent. "You have to at least say it Keiko."

"Yusuke's demon blood," she murmured.

"Well done," Kagome said gently. "This camping trip is as much about you as Yusuke, Keiko, and even if it doesn't look like it, this _is_ teaching him. He has to find something, and because that something is _you_ rather than just the camp site, then he has good motivation for doing so. Now, you and Shippo build a fire while Kurama and I go gather some food and find water."

"Did you just say 'find water'? I brought a water bottle with me, I thought everybody did," Keiko said. "And since you planned the camping trip I assumed you would bring food too."

Kagome shook her head. "Nope. I've got two shirts, three changes of underwear, a purse of toiletries, the first aid kit, a pot, a canteen of water, a pocket knife, a sleeping bag and my quiver. One canteen of water won't last a week," Kagome pointed out.

"And why _pack_ food when you can _catch_ it," Hiei's voice said from the trees, a pair of dead rabbits dropping moments before he did.

Keiko quailed in fright, moving backwards on her hands, feet and rear like some kind of demented crab.

"Thanks Hiei," Kagome said, picking up the two animals by their ears and pulling her knife from her pocket, getting to work skinning them as Shippo gathered twigs and logs for a fire, as well as breaking off a few green sticks so that Kagome could spit the rabbits to cook them over the fire.

"I'll find some berries and that water source," Kurama said with a smile, walking off.

The camp site itself was a clearing of compact dirt and a small, shallow cave, the back of which could be seen from the entrance, with no hidden tunnels for surprises to appear out of. No bats either. There was room enough in the clearing for Puu though, when he landed shortly after the fire was started.

"How far away is Yusuke?" Kagome asked, looking up from the rabbits to Hiei

"Two miles," he answered, "and he's mostly just yelling."

Kagome sighed. "He needs a hint," she said. Turning to Shippo, she saw that the fire was ready. "I am impressed," she said, smiling. "Five hundred years, and you _still_ remember how to use just enough energy to spark a flame for cooking. Thanks Shippo," Kagome praised.

Shippo smiled bashfully. "Not something I'd forget so easy," the fox said.

"What about your blue flames? The ones that don't actually burn anything? Yusuke's not making any progress," Kagome wheedled.

Shippo's smile turned into a smirk. "I think I can get him here before it gets too dark," he answered.

"Keiko, will you dig a couple of small pits?" Kagome called to the girl as Shippo left the small clearing.

"Uh, sure, what for?"

"One for the girls to use, one for the boys, and one to bury the remains of the rabbits," Kagome answered. "The first two should be about two feet deep, if they're going to last us a week."

Keiko blushed deeply, but went to do as she was asked, grabbing a fairly flat piece of broken wood from the wood pile Shippo had left to use as a shovel.

"She has a long way to go before she learns, and accepts, that the world is not all going to fit into her preconceived notions of it," Hiei commented as he watched Kagome spit the rabbits.

"I know. That's why she's here," Kagome answered. "Nothing makes a girl realise that sort of thing like being forced to rough it with demon companions."

"And _you_ would know?" Hiei asked. "I've been hearing nothing but _samples _of your _abridged_ story for months. I would like it in full if you please."

Kagome smiled. "Wait until everyone is here," she said quietly, turning the rabbits.

~oOo~


	18. Chapter 18

"What the hell!" Yusuke demanded when he finally reached the camp site behind Shippo. "You're even more twisted than the old hag!"

Shippo grinned wickedly before going to sit with Kagome, tearing a leg off one of the rabbits still over the fire, not even bothered by the flames licking his skin. "It's ready to eat now Kagome-Kaa-san," he said.

"Ah! Your arm! Doesn't that hurt?" Keiko asked, moving away from what she was sure should have been burned flesh, and was even more frightening because it wasn't.

"Kurama's speciality is plants and puzzles," Shippo said, biting into his first helping. "Mine is illusions and fire. I _lit_ this fire, it's not going to hurt me," the fox demon said.

"I don't get it," Keiko complained, on the verge of panicking. "I thought you were a normal human."

"Maybe you'd better drop your disguise Shippo," Kagome suggested. "Besides, I haven't gotten to see your tail since that day at the well five hundred years ago. I want to see if it's still as cute and fluffy as ever."

Shippo sniggered, quickly stripped the bone of its meat, swallowing it down, then stood up, the illusion fading from his head to his feet.

His ears didn't move to the top of his head like Kurama's did in his fox form, but they did become pointed, and his feet changed into nimble paws. His tail, once a short puff of fur, was now long and elegant, and his hair grew an extra few inches. Shippo then took off his haori, revealing his fox pelt worn underneath as a vest – as well as some very toned musculature, as he didn't wear any other under-shirt.

"I don't ever remember actually saying I was human," Shippo said, flashing an extended canine in a cheeky grin.

Keiko passed out.

"You're just too handsome for her mind to comprehend," Kagome teased. "Put your shirt back on."

Kurama, Shippo and Hiei laughed quietly, even as Shippo re-settled the folds of his garment back in place.

"Okay, so the only ones human here are you and Keiko?" Yusuke asked, looking at Kagome.

She nodded and fished out the smelling salts from her first aid kit. "Wake her up, it's time you two had a history lesson," she said, handing them over to Yusuke.

While he waved them under the girl's nose, Kagome drew her quiver nearer to her, and pulled something out of it that was neither her bow, nor her arrows.

"Uh," Keiko moaned, sitting up in Yusuke's hold and looking from face to face of those sharing the fire with her. Even Hiei was sitting nearby on the ground, rather than up in a tree.

"Are you going to explain now, Miko?" Hiei demanded quietly.

Kagome nodded, and lay the sword she had just taken from her quiver across her lap, tugging away the cloth it had been wrapped in.

"This is an old story. Boy and girl meet, fall in love, end up dead as a result," Kagome began. "Of course, there's more to it. The boy was a half-demon named InuYasha."

"Like I'm a half-demon?" Yusuke asked, pointing to himself with one hand while he grabbed a handful of food with the other.

"His father was a demon, and his mother was a human. It wasn't a recessive gene like yours, so he was a half-demon from the day he was born. Otherwise, pretty much the same. Shippo?" Kagome said, turning to the fox. "Can you show them InuYasha?"  
Shippo nodded and transformed. Silver hair, in even greater quantities than Kurama had in his Yoko form and somewhat tidier than Yusuke's massive mane, small dog ears on top of his head, gold eyes, fire-rat clothing, claws on hands and feet, and a deep scowl on his face.

"His mother was a noble woman, and his father was the Lord of the West. Unfortunately, his father died protecting them the day he was born, and he and his mother were ostracised because of what he was. He grew up knowing the hatred and disgust of all those around him, because he was different. As he became older, InuYasha sought to make himself stronger, and sought a power that could give him full demon heritage. That power was guarded by a priestess called Kikyo," Kagome said, nodding to Shippo then to show them what Kikyo looked like.

Gasps and wide eyes came from every direction.

"She looks like you, Miko," Hiei said.

"But sadder," Keiko added.

"I am her reincarnation," Kagome answered simply. "Kikyo's life was dedicated to her calling completely as it was practised in that time, and she guarded the Shikon no Tama against many demons who sought its power. She never lived as a normal woman because of this. When InuYasha came to her village, wanting that power, she fired at him, but missed, and told him to leave. He didn't of course, and eventually, after his simply following Kikyo for some time, they became friends, and then desired to become more. Kikyo suggested using the power of the Shikon no Tama to make InuYasha a human, rather than a demon. Such a wish, she thought, would purify the jewel into non-existence, then she would be relieved of her duty to it, and they could marry."

"That sounds so romantic," Keiko said dreamily.

"Why do I get the feeling this doesn't have a happy ending?" Yusuke asked.

Kagome held up her hand to halt any further comments, and continued with her story.

"At this time, Kikyo was also caring for a man who was burned so terribly that he could not move. His name was Onigumo, and he was a bandit. Not one like Kurama used to be, who stole for the challenge of stealing, of proving that he was smarter than the one who had the treasure, but Onigumo stole because he coveted that which was not his. He wanted things, so he made up his mind to take them. In the care of Kikyo, he decided that he wanted her as his own, though he knew she cared for the half-demon. He also coveted the Shikon no Tama, wanting to see it tainted and glowing with hate. Onigumo made a bargain with several demons, selling his body to them so that he would have the strength to do what he wanted."

Shippo didn't transform into Onigumo, but back into himself and sat down.

"For this transaction, they ate him alive," Kagome said.

"Okay, that's really gross," Yusuke said, flinching at just the idea that someone would do something like that. "Did it work?"

Kagome nodded. "Onigumo became the demon Naraku. He was once human though, so he was only a half-demon as well. Disguising himself as Kikyo, he shot at InuYasha, which broke the fragile trust InuYasha had in Kikyo. Disguised as InuYasha, he attacked Kikyo and stole the Shikon no Tama, breaking the even more fragile trust that she had in him. His plan was not yet complete though. He returned the jewel to the shrine and hung it in its place, then watched as InuYasha invaded the village and stole the jewel, his own plan to become a full demon returned once more to his mind. The villagers chased him, and the injured Kikyo shot him down, pinning him to the Tree of Ages."

"That's the one in your shrine, right?" Keiko asked.

"Yes," Kagome said. "InuYasha was pinned to the Goshinboku for fifty years, never knowing about Naraku, or that Kikyo had died shortly after binding him. Both believed that the other had betrayed them, and the love they had shared turned to a deep pain in InuYasha's heart, and something very much like hate in Kikyo's. The Shikon no Tama was burned with her body, and disappeared from Japan."

"That's terrible," Keiko said, cowering slightly from the story. "And Naraku just got away with that?"

Kagome's smile was humourless, and mirrored on Shippo's face. There was a shadow of the same smile on Kurama's as well.

"On my fifteenth birthday, Buyo, our cat, ran into the well house on our shrine. The well had always been sealed, and we were forbidden from going in there. Honestly though, I believed it was harmless, just old and spooky, but when I went in to retrieve our cat, a demon who called herself Mistress Centipede broke through the seals and dragged me down. As she held me, her lower body, the part that was actually centipede, and had looked wasted away, began to regenerate. I escaped from her, accidentally blasting off one of her arms with a power I didn't know I had at the time, and climbed out of the well. I wasn't at my family's shrine any more, but actually five hundred years in the past. After some initial confusion, I spotted the Sacred Tree and headed for it, as something familiar. Reaching it, I found a dog-eared boy who looked about my age, pinned there by an arrow and with the tree beginning to grow over him. It wasn't long after that I met the villagers, and the younger sister of Kikyo, who had also become a miko, and was well into her fifties by that time. In the village, Mistress Centipede attacked, searching for me. I ran of course, and of all the places I could have run to, I ran back to where InuYasha was pinned. I didn't know his story at the time, and he mistook me for Kikyo when he was woken by the smell of my blood. Mistress Centipede attacked me then, and ripped this," Kagome pulled the Shikon no Tama out of her shirt, "from my side. The same jewel that had been burned with Kikyo's body. Once I had freed InuYasha and he had killed the centipede, he turned on me, wanting the jewel for himself. Long story short he didn't get it, the jewel was shattered into a few million pieces, and along the way of collecting them all back up, InuYasha and I became friends, as well as meeting Shippo, a monk called Miroku who was cursed by Naraku, and a demon slayer, Sango, who's whole town had been destroyed by Naraku's plot, and her family killed before her very eyes by her little brother, controlled by Naraku."

"Don't forget Kirara!" Shippo said.

"And Kirara," Kagome added, "a two-tailed cat demon, and a very good friend to Sango the demon slayer. We also met InuYasha's older brother Sesshoumaru, a few dozen incarnations Naraku had created, and a whole lot of other enemies and friends. A witch revived Kikyo using her ashes and grave soil, then kidnapped me so that my soul, which had once been Kikyo's, could be removed from me and replaced into the clay recreation of the dead priestess. She half succeeded, and Kikyo's feelings of betrayal were still very raw. InuYasha and Kikyo both learned that it had been Naraku who tricked them, and Kikyo, one of the dead, determined that she wanted to take InuYasha to hell with her. Painful as it was for us at the time, he eventually did go with her. Later, I killed Naraku with some help from my two favourite foxes, and all was right with the world once more."

"So what's with the sword?" Yusuke asked. "You've been stroking that thing pretty much the whole way through the story."

"This sword belonged to InuYasha," Kagome answered. "It is called the Tetsusaiga, and with a single stroke is able to level one hundred enemies. It was forged from one of his father's fangs. Another sword was forged from a fang of the great dog demon, and was given to his first son, Sesshoumaru. He wasn't too happy about it though, getting a sword that could save one hundred lives with one swing, and could kill only the un-dead. There was reason behind the great demon's decisions though," Kagome said, smiling fondly at the memory. "Sesshoumaru learned compassion because of his sword, and InuYasha's demon blood was held in check as long as he had his sword, _this_ sword."

"Whoa, back up. You mean like when I blacked out and nearly killed Sensui? Other half-demons had that too?" Yusuke asked.

Kagome nodded. "InuYasha, separated from the Tetsusaiga, and in a life-threatening situation, was overcome by his demon blood. He lost control as the raw power, the base animal instincts of him, took control in order to preserve his life. He did things when he was transformed that, when he came too, he was disgusted with. The transformation ate away at his soul every time it happened."

"You sayin' maybe I should hold onto the sword and it'll do the same for me?" Yusuke asked. "I don't much like the idea of blackin' out again."

"If you can hold it," Kagome said, grabbing the scabbard just below the hilt and holding it out to the boy. "It can be held by any human, but it requires the energy of a demon to cause it to transform and actually _become_ a fearsome weapon, and even then there's still a trick to it. When InuYasha first acquired the sword, he couldn't make it transform, and it was only by chance that we learned what it was that made it work."

"And what's that?" Yusuke said, glaring, though his gaze shifted from the sword to Kagome and back again.

"Another reason that Inu no Taisho didn't give the Tetsusaiga to his eldest son Sesshoumaru was because of the answer he gave to a certain question," Kagome said, almost as though she hadn't heard Yusuke's question.

"Don't make me use the running vagueness gag," Yusuke said.

"Do you have someone to protect?" Kagome asked.

Yusuke recoiled and blinked. "What the hell kinda stupid question is that?" he demanded. "I'm the saviour of the whole damn world!"

"Then see if you can draw the sword," Kagome said fiercely.

"Alright I will," Yusuke said, standing up and walking around the fire. He took the sheath from Kagome, no problem. The handle crackled a bit when he grabbed onto it, but that soon calmed down.

"He got past the barrier Kagome!" Shippo whispered excitedly. He wanted to see Tetsusaiga again after five centuries.

Yusuke drew the sword from its sheath.

"Wow, it's a piece of junk," he commented.

Shippo sighed, dejected. "How did that not work?" he whispered.

"He hasn't figured it out, that's all," Kagome answered softly.

"Kagome, Yusuke, may I have a look at that sword?" Kurama asked.

"Sure," Yusuke answered, slipping the blade back into the sheath and handing it over.

Kurama lay his hand over the grip calmly, the small crackle of energy also not stopping him in any way. When he drew the sword though, it was quite different to Yusuke's result. A yellow light spiked around the blade, and it became wider as it left the sheath behind.

"That was unexpected," Kurama said, staring at the huge blade he was holding.

"It hasn't changed a bit," Shippo said with a grin.

"I don't get it," Yusuke said. "Is it because I'm the wrong sort of demon?"

"No Yusuke. The sword let you passed its barrier, it accepted you as someone who could potentially use it. You just had the wrong idea. Do you remember why Kurama stole the Forlorn Hope?" Kagome asked, apparently changing the subject, and rather suddenly.

"His mother was dying," the ex-detective answered.

"Kurama explained that he had new priorities to protect. Those 'priorities' made him powerful even when trapped in the body of a human," Hiei said, and seemed to be realising something himself, his eyes fixed upon the large blade of the Tetsusaiga.

Kagome nodded. "It's having just one or two people you want to take care of, to keep from the dangers they get themselves into."

Yusuke glanced at Keiko, who was too busy looking at the giant sword in Kurama's hand to notice the conversation.

"Hey Kurama, let me try again," Yusuke said, holding out his hand.

Kurama sheathed the impressive blade, an action which defied logic but somehow worked, and handed it back.

This time when Yusuke drew the sword, it transformed as it had for Kurama.

"What do you think Yusuke?" Kagome asked.

"I think I'm more inclined to stick with my spirit gun," Yusuke answered. "Kuwabara's the sword guy. Still, I guess it couldn't hurt to learn."

"Your training will begin in the morning," Kagome stated firmly.

"Great! Time to catch me some major Z's!" Yusuke said, smiling as he stretched then moved to settle down.

"Wrong," Shippo said, smirking. "Now you get to learn about being on guard all night, dozing lightly at the best of times so that you are alert to everything around you, able to respond in an instant and yet well enough rested that you won't tire too quickly in a fight."

"What? You can't be serious! Hiei sleeps like any normal person all the time! So does Kurama!"

"My jagan eye watches my surroundings as I sleep. I rarely sleep deeply unless hibernating to recuperate my energy, and I only do that when I am both convinced that there are no immediate threats and someone I trust has agreed to watch over my body for me," Hiei said.

"My bed is surrounded by plants, even at home. They would wake and warn me if danger approached," Kurama added.

"I don't have tricks like that, and neither do you, so suck it up," Shippo said, grinning wickedly.

"What about the girls? Do _they_ have to stay up?" Yusuke demanded.

"Keiko's just a normal, weak human girl," Kagome said, wide-eyed and moving to wrap her arms around the younger girl. "If she's going to keep up with anything tomorrow, she needs a full night's rest. She isn't a fighter."

"And what about you?" Yusuke snapped.

"I can put up a barrier around me that will keep out _everything_," Kagome answered. "I can sleep as deeply as I like. I'm secure."

"So why don't you just spread out that barrier and keep everybody safe?"

"This isn't about that Yusuke," Kagome said. "This is about you learning how to survive. You aren't always going to have strong friends with you when you're out like this. You need to be able to rely on _yourself_, and be able to protect Keiko _yourself_. No Botan, no Shizuru, no Koenma or Kuwabara, none of us. _You._"

"Um, why do I need protecting?" Keiko asked shakily.

"Because your boyfriend here is powerful, and now that he's found out about his demon heritage, there will be more demons interested in him than before. To try and make him weaker, and break his will, they will threaten you. To try and make him angry, and stronger, they will threaten you. To try and control him, they will threaten _you_," Kagome said.

Yusuke's nails dug into his palm in fury. Kagome was right – it had happened before. Hiei had done it, the last of the Saint Beasts had done it, hell, even Kagome had used the threat of something happening to Keiko without him there to keep an eye on her to motivate him just today!

"Alright, I get it," he conceded. "What do I do?"

~oOo~


	19. Chapter 19

The friends had been out there for five of the seven-day camping trip. Yusuke was getting the hang of being a demon a bit more, and Keiko was making good progress in her acceptance of the changes that Yusuke had undergone. She spent most of her time with Kagome, watching as Shippo, Kurama and Hiei trained with Yusuke and Puu. Sometimes it was hard for her, and she yelled a lot between quailing and trying not to faint, but she was getting better at being able to handle watching Yusuke fight, even if she still didn't like that he felt the need to.

"He can't be a normal person Keiko," Kagome said. "He's got the wrong temperament to be completely content following someone else's plan for his life, and with his demon heritage he really doesn't have to."

"So me wishing he'd stop skipping school and shape up -" Keiko said.

"Is detrimental to Yusuke as he is. The lessons Yusuke needs for his life aren't the ones he's going to get in a classroom from teachers who hate him. The lessons he received from Master Genkai, and now from _this_ experience, are the lessons that matter to who he is and who he wants to be," Kagome said gently. "He loves you, but that doesn't mean he's going to change who he is. If you love him too, then he shouldn't have to. You don't have to nag at him to do better, because he pushes himself to do better on his own. Just because school isn't what he wants to do better at, you can't blame him for it. I'd bet good money that the only thing keeping him from feeling in a funk right now, after that fight with Sensui, is that these guys are giving him a challenge."

They'd been having this conversation on and off since the morning after Kagome's story about InuYasha. Keiko was worried that she would become too much like Kikyo, a fear Kagome had quickly put to rest, but that they were still working through as far as the details went.

"I guess, apart from anything else, he and Puu couldn't just live in an apartment in the city," Keiko said, trying to laugh.

"I think that Puu's probably going to get bigger as well, as Yusuke gets more powerful," Kagome answered, then fell quiet for a while as they just watched the fighting continue. "He doesn't just love you, you know," Kagome said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"He needs you, and he needs to know that you love him as he is. If he forgets that, or you give him reason to doubt it, then he'll get hurt, in more ways than one," Kagome said. "He's _your_ idiot Keiko," she added with a chuckle. "You've got to take care of him, even when he runs off to do something dangerous, you've got to trust that he'll come back to you, just like he has before. Can you do that?"

Keiko was silent for a while, thinking about that. "I don't know," she said at last. "I'd have to give him a time limit, or just risk my own heart breaking."

Kagome frowned slightly. "Keiko, he's never going to leave you permanently. He'll always come back unless _you_ specifically tell him _not_ to, and even then I think he still would. Heck, he'd probably hang around until you got reincarnated just so he could come back to you," Kagome said. "Shippo waited five hundred years to see me, and he showed up at the shrine the exact day I said it would be when I left him behind that last time in the past. Your demon loves you, and he's enough like InuYasha that I am _completely_ confident that he'd do whatever it takes to get back to you, even if things keep demanding his immediate attention, _you_ are his long-term goal."

Keiko smiled and sighed. "You really think so?"

"Yep."

"Excuse us, but we are here for Yusuke Urameshi," a voice said from three feet behind them, where Kagome's barrier kept out uninvited guests with demonic energies.

From their left, also at the border of the barrier, another voice came. "I bear a spirit of words for Hiei of the Jagan Eye from Lord Mukuro."

"I bear a spirit of words for the Yoko, Kurama, from King Yomi," stated a voice to the right.

"Well, isn't that nice," Kagome said drolly. "They're all busy right now. You can leave your word-balls in the cave, we'll get to them, and as for you," Kagome said, turning to see who was there for Yusuke, "Baldy," she added, "you can just sit down and shut up for a while, or else go catch us a couple of rabbits or fish for dinner."

"And what reason do we have to listen to you?" the bald one demanded.

Kagome narrowed her eyes and flared her energy, causing them all to flinch back in surprise, and maybe even a little fear of the energy that could turn them to dust. "That answer your question?"

The three bald heads nodded and sat, while the other messengers left their glassy orbs behind and made a run for it. Such powers may not have been felt for a few hundred years, but there was still no mistaking the power of a miko.

"Who are they?" Keiko asked quietly, glancing over her should at them. "What do they want?"

"My guess is that they've come to take Yusuke to Demon World, and that the other two bore similar invitations," Kagome answered, an idea that she had been slowly easing Keiko into. She knew that this little boot-camp she was giving him was only going to keep him from crying for the moon for so long. She glanced back at the fight and stood. "And Kurama wins in five, four, three, two -" she counted off.

Plants erupted in the clearing suddenly, binding Yusuke completely. Kurama, Hiei and Shippo were all fighting against Yusuke, but they didn't do it as a team. They simply took any opportunity they saw to attack, using each other and all going for the win for themselves.

"You've got visitors boys," Kagome called out to them.  
"We noticed," Shippo answered. "Their breath stinks," he added, wrinkling his nose distastefully.

Training broke off and Yusuke was released from his green prison, the two full demons and two part-humans walking over to the girls and the visitors. Kagome checked the Tetsusaiga as Yusuke reached them quickly, handed it back, and then motioned for him to go ahead first, as these demons were there to see him, after all.

"If we didn't have guests, I would have left you there to try and get yourself out while they ganged up on each other," Kagome told the Mazoku quietly. "No telling when King Enma is going to send more goons after you, after all. These ones however, are demons."

"You're really looking out for me, aren't you?" Yusuke asked sarcastically before tying the scabbard to his belt again and turning to face their visitors. "So, you wanna explain why you're interrupting our camping trip, and how the hell you found us out in the middle of nowhere?"

"We followed your demon energy. We have come on a mandate from Demon World, to tell you your destiny and take you to the place where you actually belong. Not through jokes, nor flight, nor fists will you escape your call," one of the three bald demons said.

"I kinda figured it was something like that," Yusuke growled. "So cut to the chase, will ya?"

"Kagome?" Keiko whispered nervously.

"Ignore the fatalist," she murmured back. "A lot of the more powerful demons are like that, but they're also quite wrong. It's all up to the decision an individual makes."

"There is someone in Demon World who has requested to have an audience with you Yusuke. Of course, I'm talking of your ancestor."

"You mean he sent you here to escort me to Demon World, is that more like it?"

"Yes it is."

"I'd love to get my fingers around his throat. So the old bastard _is_ still alive, huh?"

Keiko was nearly ready to cry at how eager Yusuke seemed to be to leave, but Kagome wrapped an arm around her and whispered reassurances.

"What was I just telling you?" she said softly. "He needs to go to Demon World, but however long it takes, he _will_ come back to you. You _can't_ let yourself forget that."

"Of course he is," the demon answered Yusuke.

"What'd I tell ya?" Kagome chuckled quietly, getting a small smile from Keiko.

"He still got some power left in him?" Yusuke demanded.

"Very much."

"Then I'm tempted to go right now and follow up on my fingers around his throat idea," Yusuke said, though he sat down at last, and beside Keiko, rather than simply across from the demons.

"We cannot do that right now, we must abide strictly by the rules of our territory, just as those of the other two territories."

"You mean the ones who sent those spirit of word things to Hiei and Kurama?" Yusuke asked, gesturing vaguely to the two orbs that were still resting just inside the small cave.

"Yomi didn't have that much power when I knew him," Kurama said, a deep scowl on his face. He did not like to be reminded of that demon.

"Oh joy, power struggles and politics. So who _is_ my ancestor, anyway? And for that matter, you haven't introduced yourselves yet," Yusuke said, more calm now as he sat beside Keiko.

"These two are Seitei and Tou-ou, both are A class demons. I am Haukushin, an S class demon. Your ancestor is Raizen."

"I thought the tunnel and the barrier had been sealed up, though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised when the story changes any more," Yusuke said. "So I'd ask how A and S class demons get through the Kekai barrier, and how it is that such supposedly powerful demons feel like they've got as much power as a bowl of pea-soup, but I'm gonna take a guess and say the two are related, and leave it alone."

Haukushin smirked slightly.

"Getting back to the political power-play," Kagome said clearly. "Give us the scoop, and be succinct pal or I'll purify you."

Haukushin gulped in nervousness. It had been a long time since humans with such an ability had existed, and he was faced with one now. He found it unnerving, even as powerful as he was, and decided to speak clearly.

"The three demons fought one another, and it should have, _would_ have, ended quickly if they weren't the rulers of all of Demon World. The main falling out was over food. All three demons required a staple diet of humans," Haukushin said.

"That, I admit, Yomi did do when I knew him. It was part of the reason I decided to disassociate myself with him back then," Kurama said, curling his nose with disgust.

"Regardless of that, it was Raizen who said one day that they should stop eating humans. Mukuro immediately objected, saying he couldn't stand the taste of anything else, though he was already trying to curb his own appetite – as though to eat at all was distasteful. It was Yomi who said they should eat as many was they wanted, that humans multiplied like they fought extinction anyway. The problem is that the three of them are of approximately equal strength, and should two of them face off and one be killed, the third would be waiting in the wings for the opportune moment. They've been locked in a stand off for over four hundred years," Haukushin explained.

"Four hundred years?" Yusuke said. "How have they not gone crazy?"

"Because these demons have the ability to ground their emotions in patience and endurance," answered Seitei.

"The balance of power is shifting though, the dissenting demon, our king, your ancestor Toushin Raizen, is now on the brink of death," Haukushin said. "His illness is caused by malnutrition. He hasn't eaten anything for nearly a thousand years."

"Raizen went off his feed, Mukuro was sick of the taste, and Yomi was content to eat as much as he liked huh?" Kagome asked, then smirked. "One starving to death, one on a diet, one eating regularly, and they're all still pretty equal? Makes me wonder what would happen if someone handed Raizen a few dozen condemned criminals to eat and he got his strength back up. I think this Yomi guy might just piss his pants."

Kurama, Hiei, Shippo and Yusuke all chuckled.

"Kagome, how can you say that?" Keiko asked, wide eyed.

"I'm not a vegetarian, but I know how they look at me when I'm eating a burger. Hang on!" Kagome said, snapping her fingers. "You said that they ate humans, but you claim Mukuro couldn't stand the _taste_ of anything else, so they should be able to eat other stuff, right?"

Haukushin and the others blinked in surprise. "Like what?" they asked.

"Right, so you three eat humans too," Kagome said, narrowing her eyes. "Rabbit, for example, makes a really good meal. Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, noodles, rice! There's so many different things a person can eat."

"He won't eat anything, no matter who brings him food," Seitei said.

"We don't know why he stopped eating humans, knowing it would risk his life. As it is his decision, however, we shall obey his order to the letter and to the end," Haukushin said.

"Great," Yusuke drawled. "So what do you want me to do about it again?"

"If he dies, we will fight for him, but in our current conditions we are not strong enough. The king is aware that you have been to Demon World once," Haukushin stated.

"I remember, and _thank you_ for opening an old wound," Yusuke snapped.

"The way I understand it is that he recognised you were not strong enough at the time, but foresaw that you would be a saviour to us in the future," Haukushin explained.

"I don't like it," Yusuke answered. "You sound desperate, like your clutching at straws and anything will do."

"In part, that is true. I confess that I don't even come close to the power of our king, or the other two, and I do not believe that you do either, but I'm sure you could tell you don't even have the power to defeat me."

"That's very cocky."

"But that is why we want you to come and train in Demon World."

"I'll _think_ about it," Yusuke answered, scowling. "I sure as hell don't want to have to eat people-burgers if I go with you for one thing. For another, I'm not the only one who says if I'm good to go."

Haukushin narrowed his eyes. "What could possibly hold you back?"

"See now that's a funny thing. I've got school to skip out on, good friends to pick fights with, and then of course I'd have to talk it over with Keiko," he answered.

The girl smiled brightly, almost crying with joy that she meant so much to him that he wouldn't go without talking to her first. Happily, she covered his hand with hers and squeezed a little.

Yusuke smiled back at her, turning his hand to lace their fingers together.

"Besides, _if_ I decide to go to Demon World, I'll get there on my own," Yusuke said, turning back to Haukushin. "So if you don't mind, I can smell your putrid breath from here."

"That's your cue to leave, if you didn't catch it," Shippo added with a slightly cruel smile.

"We'll be back in a week for your decision," Haukushin said, standing. The other two with him also stood, and they disappeared.

"So, shall we hear what the other two have to say?" Kagome said, indicating the glowing orbs that waited for Kurama and Hiei.

Both demons nodded and picked them up. Kurama threw his against the base of the cave wall first.

"It's been a long time Kurama. It's good to see you, though I can't really see you as this is just a spirit of words. I do hope to meet you again in person soon."

"Idiot," Shippo quipped.

"Back when you knew me, neither of us were very powerful, but that's changed. I've grown stronger, _much_ stronger. Strong enough to rival Raizen and Mukuro for control of Demon World. You remember those names don't you? They were already in power when you left. But several hundred years ago, I joined their ranks."

"Cocky," Kagome added with a sneer.

"And now? I prepare for my next ascension. I plan to dethrone the two of them, and then we'll unify the whole of Demon World as one nation under me, but if I am to succeed in this, I will require your assistance Kurama, and so my friend I plead with you to join my crusade. If you believe in the unification, then I beg you to return to us. Oh, and one more thing, I almost forgot to tell you, I apprehended the one who stole the light from me. I think you'll be amused, as was I, when you see who it was. Another incentive to come back to Demon World I guess."

"I think he likes the sound of his own voice too much," Shippo said when the image of Yomi faded.

"I agree," Hiei said. "How did you get tangled up with such an arrogant, deficient creature?"

"For a while he was in my gang of thieves. He was impulsive though, and a danger to every mission we went on. I hired another demon to kill him when I overheard him planning to go on a raid without me, trying to prove his own greatness. I had _thought_ he was dead," Kurama answered with a growl, angry that he had allowed Yomi to slip away and survive all this time.

Kagome shifted closer to him, snuggling closer to provide him comfort.

"You could always just not go," she said. "That would send the message that you don't care about his unification, or about the demon you sent."

Kurama sighed and wrapped his arms around Kagome. "It sounds so tempting," he admitted. "I just don't know if I can get away with it. If _we_ can get away with it. A situation like this, it would benefit us to have someone watching every demon lord very closely."

"Hn, I agree," Hiei said. "Let's see what Lord Mukuro has to say, if it's anything interesting."

"Greetings Hiei. I am Mukuro. I would have been there in person, but I seldom show my face in public. Not out of fear, but out of the annoyance of being mobbed by my adoring fans."

"Lord Mukuro's a Lady," Kagome declared then. "That's a female voice."

"Your recent appearance here has come to my attention, and I had to wonder; why aren't you working for me? Think of it, you could be my right hand man."

"I do believe Kagome's right," Kurama said, his eyebrows shooting up in shock. "That's the tone of a woman trying to be seductive."

"I'll even let you in on a little secret, for your ears only."

"Bet it's that Raizen's about to kick the bucket," Yusuke said.

"Raizen's on the brink of death, and when he has breathed his very last breath, I will strike Yomi with full force."

"Half right," Yusuke muttered.

"He pushes for a peaceful, unified Demon World. I'm sure even the thought of such a desecration of our home land disgusts you. If I am correct in my assumption, you should join me."

"Mukuro is as talkative and self-important as Yomi," Hiei observed before turning from the faded image of Mukuro to look at Kagome. "A woman?"

"Definitely, which means: tread much more carefully. Women can be very tricky about getting what they want," Kagome said. "Human women are bad enough with only a few decades to perfect that skill. The idea of a demon female with centuries of experience in toying with people worries me."

"Mukuro has always been a dangerous and tyrannical ruler," Kurama said. "You have no idea of the damage she could do. Demon World thrown into chaos."

"Then I suppose this is going to be interesting," Hiei said with a smirk, clearly pleased.

"Puu!"

The large bird's interjection broke the tension, and made everybody laugh and relax a little bit.

"So," Kagome said with a smile. "Who wants to play a game of Demon Lord Gamble?"

Shippo chuckled. "That depends on the rules," he said.

"I've never played before," Kurama said with a smile, "though I have heard it's quite thrilling."

"Hn. I may make an exception to my opinion of games if this is what it sounds like," Hiei added, smirking.

"Never heard of it," Yusuke admitted. "Sounds like fun though."

"Umm, what – what's -" Keiko tried to ask.

Kagome smiled and patted the girl's shoulder. "Basically, we're going to pull the trick of the century on these guys. Mukuro wants Hiei, Yomi wants Kurama, Raizen wants his descendant. Now, two of these lords want two of our friends for completely selfish reasons. The third lord probably wants to meet his son and teach him a thing or two about being a Mazoku – ya know, as well as so that the other two don't get a leg up on Demon World. You following so far?"

"Yeah. That much I get, it's after that I get confused," Keiko said.

"So Yusuke needs to go and see Raizen, for his own good apart from everything else," Kagome said gently.

Keiko looked to Yusuke so quickly at those words she almost gave herself whiplash.

"No guarantees that this sword is gonna keep me all there all the time," Yusuke told her, wrapping his arms around his childhood friend and favourite girl. "I don't ever want to do anything that could put you or anybody else in danger."

Keiko nodded. "I understand," she said. "Will you come back?"

"Unless you don't want me to."

"I don't even want you to leave, but I know you have to," Keiko said, burying her face in Yusuke's chest. "Just promise me you'll be back, that you won't be too long?"

"You know, you could always go with him," Shippo said casually. "Do high school by home study, then you wouldn't have to worry about attendance, and Puu could probably take you back and forth for exams, and bring your work to the shrine for the Higurashi's to post for you."

Keiko blinked and looked at Yusuke, who was smiling crookedly at the thought.

"I kinda like that idea," he said, his eyes fixed on Keiko. "You'd be around all the time to keep an eye on me, and I'd never forget why I'm there, cause my reason would be right there with me: keeping you safe."

"Demon World is going to be dangerous for you Keiko. You don't have any special powers or weapon skills. You're either going to have to become a very fast learner, or never leave Yusuke's sight," Kagome cautioned.

"I'd be a burden, and a worry, and I'd miss my parents and other friends," Keiko said, shaking her head. "I couldn't even handle all of the Dark Tournament, I don't think I'd handle Demon World any better. Just, don't disappear on me?"

"I'll find a way to make phone calls from Demon World," Yusuke promised, "and I probably won't be more than three years."

Keiko smiled. "I think I can live with that," she said, hugging him tightly.

"Now, about this game of Demon Lord Gamble," Hiei said, actually touched by how much those two cared about each other, rather than horrified or disgusted. "Yusuke's role is understood. What about the rest of us?"

Kagome smirked. "Hiei, how do you feel about going to visit Yomi?"

"What!"

"Or Shippo could go, if you don't want to. Actually, that might be better," Kagome mused, tapping her chin. "Hm, yes. The point is that Yomi and Mukuro don't get exactly what they want. Either Hiei goes to Yomi, and Shippo or Kurama to Mukuro, or Shippo goes to Yomi, and Kurama goes to Mukuro."

"I was thinking of using Mukuro to further my own interests," Hiei said, a quiet danger in his voice.

"Power?" Kurama asked.

Hiei nodded.

"Then how about this: Hiei goes with Yusuke and Puu to Raizen. You get him to eat a few burgers or something so that he isn't dying, he trains you up, you get stronger. Kurama goes to Mukuro saying that Hiei doesn't give a damn about being her right hand man, or Yomi. Shippo goes to visit Yomi and gets to tell him that Kurama really wasn't interested in his plans for unification, and could care less about who 'stole his light', but surely one fox is as good as another, so he came instead. How's this sounding for a good game?" Kagome suggested.

"I would feel much better knowing that someone was with Yusuke," Keiko said quietly. "Especially someone as smart and talented as Hiei."

The demons all shared smirks of varying sizes.

"Kagome, when did you get so sneaky?" Kurama asked, delighted.

"I hang around you, Shippo and Hiei a lot, a girl has _got_ to learn something eventually," she answered. "Watching Souta play his video games isn't so bad of an idea-generator either."

"So what am I going to need to know about Yomi?" Shippo asked. "Of all of them, he seems the slimiest."

"He will probably want some way to make himself even stronger than he already is. There are some fighters from the Dark Tournament we could probably get in touch with, maybe have them train with Genkai and Kagome for a few months, present them to Yomi. That should get him to trust you and grant you a high position," Kurama said. "Yomi isn't as smart as he likes to think he is, though he is fairly manipulating, and _seems_ to have developed some patience by now."

"So I give him strong fighters, and some insight, and he'll like me," Shippo said, rubbing his finger under his nose before he nodded. Transforming into Kurama's human form, rather than his own, Shippo said in Kurama's voice "I think I can handle that."

Kurama laughed first, and everyone followed him.

"Oh, do that when you meet him. Let him think for a while that you're actually me," Kurama begged once he'd calmed his laughter.

"Whatever you like Father," Shippo said, nodding his head.

"Woah, father?" Yusuke asked.

"Well, Kurama was like a father to me when I was little, after my real father had been killed and Kagome had taken me in. He taught me a lot of tricks and how to control my power. That, and he's dating my Kagome-Kaa-san," Shippo explained.

"I'm honoured Shippo," Kurama said, closing the subject.

Yusuke just shrugged. "Okay. So Shippo pulls the wool over Yomi's eyes. What will you do Kurama? Mukuro is expecting Hiei, it's gonna be a surprise to get a tall, suave, red head when she's expecting short, dark, and grumpy here," Yusuke said, jerking his thumb at Hiei.

"I confess that Mukuro worries me. When I was just a thief with Yomi, Mukuro was already powerful, and very secretive as well. Kagome seems to be the one full of ideas tonight though," Kurama said, looking down at his girlfriend happily.

"Tell her you got a message from Yomi, and from what he said you'd rather be with her or Raizen, but since Raizen is weakening, despite that you agree more with his views, it is illogical to ally yourself with someone who is dying. Your main interests are Human World now, but you want to be in Demon World to see that when the balance of power shifts, as it will when Raizen dies, it's not going to be a problem for your Human World interests," Kagome said.

"You're talking about Raizen dying pretty easily, considering you already said we were going to force feed him some normal food," Keiko said.

"Exactly. Yomi and Mukuro can be fooled into thinking Raizen dead, I'm sure. Imagine their surprise when they find out he isn't. I expect that they wouldn't like that very much. When Raizen is believed dead, Yusuke will pay a visit to Yomi," Kagome said, smiling. "Propose a tournament, every demon for themselves in a bid for complete control of demon world. Mukuro and Yomi may be powerful, but I'm willing to bet they'd make a real dent in each other's powers if they had to fight each other before the final round, and then we're back to what Haukashin said: one dies, the other is weakened, and the third is waiting in the wings to take them out."

"Kagome," Kurama said sternly. "Where's the jewel? I want to check that it's still pure with you thinking such devious, delicious thoughts."

Kagome laughed and pulled out the chain the gem was hanging from. Pure as ever, it was even glowing paler than usual, which surprised everyone.

"I can only guess that that's good," she said quietly.

~oOo~


	20. Chapter 20

Koenma found them all at Genkai's temple two days after they had received their 'invitations' from the demon lords.

"I would like for somebody to tell me what's going on," he said.

"Simple really," Kagome answered. "Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama and Shippo will be going to Demon World for a little while. See if you can talk to some of your father's SDF. The Mazoku they're so scared of is willing to let them trap him in Demon World," she said with a smirk.

"And who will be notifying their families?"

"Kurama moved in with my family over a week ago. My mother can field anything Shiori asks," Kagome said. "Though we'd appreciate it if you could find some way to get mobile phones to work across the worlds. Yusuke's gonna want one as well, to call Keiko."

"And Yusuke's mother?"

"I told her I was leaving, though I don't think she quite understood where as she asked me to pick up a six pack on my way back," Yusuke answered.

"What about Kazuma and Shizuru?"

"I'm telling them," Kagome said. "But _after_ this lot has left."

Koenma's eyes fixed on Hiei for a moment, but he looked away again without saying anything.

"Hiei," Yukina said quietly, stepping up to him. "Before you go I want to ask you something."

Hiei looked at his sister, wondering what it could be.

"Why haven't you said anything? About being my brother, I mean."

His mouth fell open. That wasn't what he had expected. How had she found out? Could someone have told her?

"I figured it out," Yukina said quietly. "After I learned how to get a better feel for energies, I noticed that you were actually partially an ice apparition, but like me, rather than like Mr Touya from the Dark Tournament. There is only one male recorded that would be your age, and who had such an intense fire energy that he had to be wrapped in wards immediately, and that's my brother. So I want to know why you didn't say anything."

"I'm a criminal Yukina. Yusuke had to come after me. I'm a thief and a murderer. I didn't want you to have to be burdened by a brother like that," Hiei answered when he had finally regained his senses. "Just being able to watch over you was enough. Besides, I can't be your brother, I lost the hiroseki stone our mother cried for me."

Yukina wrapped her arms around Hiei's chest and buried her face in his shoulder.

"You're my brother, you could never be a burden to me. I always just wanted the chance to watch over you too," she said. "And I'm sure you'll find it again. Will you come back to me Hiei?"

Hiei was silent a moment, just watching his sister holding him, knowing he was her brother, her face pressed to his shoulder. "If you promise to smile for me," he said. "And make sure there's plenty of ice cream when I get back," he added.

Yukina looked up at him, surprised, but delighted. "Thank you, brother," she said.

Koenma sighed. "Alright, I'll talk to some of the less idiotic SDF soldiers and see what I can do about a portal. Miss Kagome? Master Genkai? Here or on the Higurashi's property?

"Better have it here," Genkai answered. "Having a portal to demon world right in the middle of the city is probably a bad idea."

Koenma nodded and left for Spirit World.

~oOo~

"What the hell is all this stuff?" Yusuke asked, walking into the Higurashi kitchen, to which he had been summoned. "Cooking lessons? I know how to feed myself."

"And that's fine, for you," Kagome answered. "You _don't_ know how to feed a demon who's been rejecting food for nearly a thousand years."

Spread across the kitchen counter were various foods that Yusuke had never even heard of, certainly not seen.

"He needs to intake all the stuff that makes up a human, but he won't eat people. After a thousand years his stomach has probably done some shrinking, so as much as he hurts now, it will probably hurt just as much to start eating again, so you're gonna have to start him on small portions," Kagome explained, tossing the boy an apron and ordering him to step up. "We're going to start with a thing called blood pudding."

"_What_!" Yusuke demanded. "What the hell kind of food is blood pudding?"

Kagome smirked. "A lot of people eat it Yusuke. I know it sounds gross, but a lot of normal humans really like it. It's a foreign recipe of course. As is black pudding and haggis, which you will be learning next."

"And what are we gonna do with all this food we're making?" Yusuke grumbled as he got started following the recipe book.

"Put it in an insulated bag, and you're going to take it with you, to start Raizen off on the road to recovery, while his own cooks learn about making these foods the way that humans do, rather than _from_ humans," Kagome answered firmly. "Keiko, Hiei and Kurama all helped come up with these as appropriate for your old man, so suck it up if you want to stick it to the other guys."

"And what is Shippo up to?" Yusuke asked, spotting the other fox demon as he passed the kitchen door.

"He is contacting all those friends you made at the Dark Tournament, letting them know a good fight is in the works if they're interested, and that Master Genkai and I will be helping them get into shape for it if they are," Kagome answered.

"Kagome!" Mrs Higurashi called, "Koenma is here to see you!"

"Show him in Mama, we're in the kitchen!" Kagome said, smiling.

"Well, I got a few cell phones that will work no matter which world you're in, powered by spirit and/or demon energy," Koenma said, as he walked in, holding up a small suitcase. "I've also talked to some of my father's SDF's, and gotten a few volunteers. I've also got some disturbing news."

"Don't keep me in suspense," Yusuke said. "Especially not when I'm making something with a name like blood pudding."

"Blood pudding?"

"It's to get Raizen on the mend," Kagome answered, brushing it aside. "It's a human recipe, as in one that humans made up, and still eat today. Now what's the disturbing news?"

"Raizen, Yomi and Mukuro have all made requests to my father that Yusuke, Kurama and Hiei respectively be extradited from Human World, permanently, as being too dangerous to be in human world. These requests were all made separately, and my father is bowing to them. I don't like it," Koenma admitted.

"Well, your father isn't exactly the most sensible guy these days, to not realise that Yusuke's too much of a good kid to be interested in threatening humanity. Maybe he's just finally getting senile," Kagome suggested. "Don't worry too much. Even if your old man doesn't know what he's doing, _we_ do."

Koenma smiled weakly. "Thanks, that's really comforting."

"Don't mention it. So, when are the SDF going to open the portal to let our boys through?"

"How does tomorrow night sound?"

Kagome looked over at Yusuke. He was smiling.

"Perfect," he said. "Tomorrow's my birthday. I'll get to spend it with Keiko and Kuwabara, then it's off to find my ancestor."

~oOo~

Keiko, Botan, Yunika, Genkai and Kagome stood watching, the farewell party for Hiei, Yusuke and Puu as they prepared to go through the portal. Last goodbyes were said, as well as promises to return in a few years at most.

"You know where you're going?" Kagome asked.

"Haukushin will probably find us fairly fast," Yusuke said. "And these guys are dropping us into Raizen's territory."

"Hn. We'll be fine Kagome," Hiei said. "You needn't worry."

"Oh yeah, and Kagome? Thanks for the sword, but I've decided to leave it behind," Yusuke said, removing the Tetsusaiga from his belt to hand back to the miko.

"Fair enough. It was really more like a band aid over a left-in splinter anyway," she said, holding it tightly to her. That is to say, the problem was still there and not healing, but at least it wasn't getting worse.

"Must you be so graphic?" Yusuke asked, pulling a face.

"Just go will you?" Kagome said, giving him a shove towards Keiko before bending to give Hiei one last hug before he left.

The two demons climbed onto Puu's back shortly after, the large bag of food for Raizen also being carried by the bird.

"Shut the door behind us guys!" Yusuke called out as the flew through, and away into Demon World.

"If you guys don't kick some serious tail, I'm coming in after you!" Kagome yelled after them. "And you won't like it if I have to do that!"

Yukina sniffed slightly and wiped at her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Woah, woah, woah," Kagome said, spotting the very beginning of potential water-works. "None of that," she insisted. "You found your brother and you know that he loves you too. Okay he didn't hang around long, but he promised to be back, and you should know he'd do anything for you."

A hiroseki stone still fell to the ground, and Kagome sighed as she bent to pick it up, the Shikon no Tama slipping out of her collar at the same time and sitting on top of her shirt when she straightened up.

"Miss Kagome?" Yukina asked, her eyes – wet but no longer shedding tears – were fixed on the stone at the miko's neck. "Would you do me the honour of combining that tear of mine with that stone of yours?"

"I don't know if I can do that," Kagome said honestly. "And I don't know if it's a good idea either. The Shikon no Tama is weird that way. Then again, if demon souls went into its creation just as much as Midoriko's, I don't see how a crystallised tear could hurt," she rambled, finally conceding and holding the hiroseki stone close to the Shikon no Tama.

They merged, and the Shikon became completely white, glowing brightly for a moment before it went dull again, barely glowing at all.

"What just happened?" Botan asked, staring at the stone that hung around Kagome's neck.

"I don't know how, but ... the battle that was doomed to continue forever inside the jewel ... it's over, and the demonic influences are gone," Kagome said, her brown eyes wide. "This jewel is now exclusively Midoriko's soul."

"Soul!" Botan demanded. "Then it needs to go to Spirit World at once so that she can be given her final peace!"

"No," Kagome said quietly. "If she goes to Spirit World, eventually she'll be reincarnated, right? I don't think she would want that. Midoriko can watch the world from the jewel, and never have to worry about the troubles of life again. The jewel finally feels as though it's at peace. Maybe someday she'll take herself to Spirit World, but for now, just let her rest a while."

Botan frowned, but agreed, though reluctantly. It was something of a bending of the rules after all.

~oOo~

Kagome saw off both of her foxes with a kiss, and made them promise to call her regularly, though Kurama cautioned Shippo of speaking freely _to_ or _of_ Kagome, in case Yomi decided to threaten her to get some advantage over him. Shippo just grinned.

~oOo~

"Kagome?" Shizuru was clearly surprised to find the miko at her door when she answered the bell.  
"Hey Shizuru. Got a minute?" Kagome asked, her usual gentle smile in place and a bag of sugary goodies in her hand.

Shizuru smiled around her cigarette. "Sure, come on in."

"Miss Kagome," Sakyo deferred politely when he saw her taking off her shoes in the entrance way.

"Hey Sakyo," Kagome greeted with a slightly more cheeky grin. "How are those beads of subjugation working out for you?" she asked, eyeing the necklace she had put around the man for Shizuru to keep him in line with.

He didn't answer verbally, just frowned down at them where they sat over his shirt.

"He's behaving himself, so I'm not having to use them too much," Shizuru said with a smirk. "He's become very domestic, though Kazuma avoids him most of the time still."

Kagome nodded, glad things were working out for her friend, even if they hadn't spent much time together lately.

"What's the latest news?"

"Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama and Shippo have all gone to Demon World," Kagome answered. "They're going to turn the place on its head."

Shizuru smirked, amused, before she took a more serious drag on her smoke. "Kazuma's going to be broken up when he finds out that Urameshi and the others left without saying goodbye you know."

"They all knew how he'd react, and didn't want to upset him too much. I come baring farewell notes actually," Kagome added, nodding towards the bag. "They're in there with the sugary stuff."

Shizuru stared at the bag a minute. "Thanks Kagome."

"No problem. So, how are Kazuma's studies going?"

~oOo~


	21. Chapter 21

As Yusuke had predicted, Haukushin was there to welcome them into Demon World, and when they reached the castle where Raizen was enthroned and wasting away, a great rumbling sounded out.

"What's that? Thunder?" Yusuke asked.

"It is King Raizen's stomach. It growls at each meal time like clockwork. Even Mukuro and Yomi hear it and use it to mark the passing of time," Haukushin answered.

Yusuke and Hiei shared a small smirk.

"This could be easier than we thought Detective," Hiei said.

"I don't mean to be rude, but we were not expecting you to bring companions," Haukushin said, looking between Hiei and Puu.

"Tough. Where I go, Puu goes, and Hiei's interested in getting stronger, and wasn't interested in taking baby-steps with Yomi or Mukuro," Yusuke answered with a frown.

"Very well," Haukushi said, bowing slightly. "Through this door is the way to King Raizen's throne room. You alone are permitted to see him."

"Uh huh," Yusuke said. "Whatever. If there's one thing I know, it's that Hiei will _always_ be just fine," he declared, then grabbed the large bag Puu had been carrying and headed up the stairs.

When he got to the top, Yusuke headed for the only doors he could see, calling "Knock, knock!" as he pushed them open.

What he saw was exactly as he remembered from when Raizen's voice had echoed in his head before taking him over. It was unnerving.

"Welcome, my son," Raizen said. His masses of white hair flowed around him like Yusuke's own darker hair did, as he had followed Kagome's instructions and refrained from cutting it, much as he wanted to. Raizen's eyes though were very different to Yusuke's, and though muscled he was also clearly emaciated. A few tattoos were present, and Yusuke wondered if that style of armour was just popular with demons, as he could remember Jin and the other shinobi from the Dark Tournament wearing similar, as well as a few of the other demons who'd been there.

"What's the matter?" Raizen asked with a chuckle. "You too big and cool to give your old man a hug?"

"You're _not_ my dad, now _tell me_, why did you have to get involved? When I was fighting Sensui, what did you do?" Yusuke demanded, forgetting for a moment about the bag he'd brought up and just wanting answers.

Raizen chuckled again, but didn't say anything.

"Tell me, or I'm gonna kick _your_ ass!"

Raizen brought up a clawed hand and flicked it at Yusuke. The result was a cut to Yusuke's torso, one he couldn't have blocked and that hurt like nothing else before it had, not to mention sent him flying backwards through the room.

Raizen chuckled again. "That's why I did it. For your own good, you ungrateful bastard," he said fondly. "That human would have killed you. You may have inherited my genes, but you haven't the slightest idea what to do with them, and it's a shame to waste them on a weakling like you!"

That comment, as was usual when anybody declared him weak, made Yusuke very mad. He charged.

"I'll waste you!" he yelled, throwing a more than descent right hook.

It didn't work out for him though, and Raizen had him screaming in pain fairly quickly, throwing him against the wall rather than spilling any more blood.

"Had enough boy? See how your feeble skills pale in companion to mine? Or was my lesson too _dense_ for you?"

Yusuke spit out some blood, scowling. "The only thing I see is an over confident dead man," he answered.

"I'll make a deal. If you can move me from my throne, I'll more than gladly give it to you son, along with my life," Raizen said.

Yusuke wanted to so bad, but he knew Kagome would kick his butt six ways to Monday if he actually took Raizen up on _any_ of his offer. Still, that didn't stop him from bringing up his spirit gun and firing it as he yelled out "No deal!"

"Well, not sitting so pretty _now_," Yusuke said when the dust from the rubble cleared, revealing Raizen standing, and a rather large hole where the throne – and the wall behind it – had once been.

Raizen just smirked and walked up to where Yusuke still was on the floor where he had landed after Raizen's initial beating.

"Ha. You hear, but you don't listen, _child_," he said, then kneeling down to look Yusuke in the eye, he said, with some measure of vindication, "You moved the throne, not _me_. A tedious technicality, to be sure, but we are men of honour. Don't you worry though, we'll get your prize yet. As long as my body continues to shrink at this pace, I'll no doubt be dead within the span of a year," Raizen explained. As if to emphasise his point, his stomach made a low gurgling sound and pulled in a little more.

"Right, the low human diet has been doing wonders for you," Yusuke said. "Actually that reminds me, when one of my friends heard about it she forced me to do some cooking for you, see if you might try _something_."

Raizen's face displayed surprise.

"In that bag there," Yusuke continued, jerking his chin at the bag he had brought up with him, "I got all kinds of weird foods she said you might be able to stomach, and should help you get your strength back up. None of the ingredients are actually _human_, but they've got all the same stuff on a chemical level, apparently."

"What sort of friends do you have son?" Raizen asked, not moving towards the bag, though his eyes were fixed on it. "And what could the food possibly be that I might eat it?"

"She's a priestess, actually," Yusuke answered. "Name of Kagome Higurashi. As for the food, there are things like black pudding, blood pudding, haggis, five-meats pie, some jellies that were, honestly, really gross to make, and some kind of pasta made from the marrow of a few different animal's bones. For starters," the boy said. "All of them are recipes that humans came up with, so you're guaranteed no human went into the making of them, unless some of my hair ended up in there while I was cooking, which considering how much more of it there is than I'm used to, is possible."

Raizen stood and went over to the bag, opening it and pulling out a long, dark thing that had been tied at both ends.

"A priestess, concerned for the health of an old and dying demon," Raizen said, "and in an age where real priestesses are almost extinct. Why would she do something like this?"

"Because she's got a wicked sense of humour," Yusuke answered, smirking. "And a plan you're not gonna believe, but will _probably_ love."

"Tell me," Raizen said, sitting in front of his heir and biting into the thing he held, his eyes closing a moment in wonder at the taste. It was incredible. He couldn't remember humans tasting that good, and he relished in the first thing he had eaten in a thousand years.

While he watched his ancestor eat, Yusuke explained Kagome's 'Demon Lord Gamble' trick.

By the time Raizen had finished the chosen item of food, he was wincing in pain at his stomach's reaction to finally having anything in it, something Yusuke quickly assured him Kagome had predicted would happen, before he continued his explanation. Raizen didn't reach for any more food, but was laughing in delight at the plan the unknown female had concocted, and Hiei and Puu were invited up.

After that, Raizen ordered the training of his son, spirit beast, and companion to begin immediately, while he took some time to recover from having something in his stomach for the first time in so long. He would have to limit himself so that his stomach continued to sound, but he seemed unable to take in too much at once anyway. Besides, they didn't want Yomi and Mukuro to find out about the scheme so early in the game.

~oOo~

"You are Kurama, the one that Yomi wanted," Mukuro said, her one visible eye fixed on the red haired human who had come to her gate. "What are you doing here? Have you come as a spy?"

Kurama chuckled dryly. "Hardly," he answered. "Yomi requested my presence, but I have no interest in joining him. I knew him when he was still weak, and didn't like him then any better. I had thought he was dead."

"So you are not a spy, but I still have no idea what you are doing here."

"You sent a request to one of my allies to join you, did you not?" Kurama asked politely. "Hiei shared your message with me, and we had a slight disagreement. Hiei had no interest in allying himself with someone who, as he put it, was only equal in strength to someone who was dying. I, on the other hand, saw no point in aligning myself with someone who won't be alive much longer, even if our regard for humans is so similar."

"Oh? And what do you mean by that?"

"My interests are in Human World, Lord Mukuro, but I know perfectly well that anything that happens here will have an effect on my loved ones there, so I came to offer my services to the one I believed was most likely to come out on top in the war that is so likely to follow Raizen's death," Kurama answered.

"Loved ones?" Mukuro asked.

"My human mother, as well as my fiancé and her family, are all very dear to me," Kurama said.

"And yet you are here, rather than there," Mukuro observed.

"When my fiancé learned of what was happening, she told me I had to go, knowing that I would regret if I didn't have a hand in shaping the future of Demon World in some way."

Mukuro nodded, and seemed to accept the story.

"Very well. I'll put your skills to the test, and see how you hold up. I may indeed have a use for you."

"I ask only to be called Hiei whilst I am here, so that Yomi does not know of my presence," Kurama said softly as he bowed.

"Granted."

~oOo~

Shippo walked through the forested outskirts of Yomi's city-like territory, disguised as Kurama and with a full briefing of the goat demon calmly floating through his mind. When he was young, Shippo had learned Kurama's attacks, as well as creating his own from the same theory. A master of illusions had to be diverse after all. An illusion could be ruined by walking differently, having the wrong scent, most certainly by choosing a different attack than the ones Kurama would default to use.

He looked up sharply when he felt three rather weak demon energies descending upon him fast, and he dodged quickly before using rose vines to throw the first one into a tree, regaining a perfect composure and stillness easily as he waited for the other two to charge, hand resting by his neck to withdraw the rose whip he had seen Kurama use so many times in their training, chopping up the fighters into pieces, not even flinching as their pieces flew past him, only lowering his weapon when he felt a strong energy. Despite its strength, it was just as Kurama had described it to him.

"Yomi, was all that necessary?" Shippo asked in Kurama's voice.

"Hello Kurama," Yomi answered, stepping forward.

Shippo grinned inwardly, pleased with another illusion, another trick, performed perfectly.

"It's been far too long since I've seen _you_," the goat demon said.

"I don't appreciate the pun," Shippo snapped slightly, playing the part of Kurama to his very best, "and what sort of welcome is that? I came all this way to help you, not to be attacked."

"Don't be cross," Yomi soothed arrogantly. "I wasn't entirely sure it _was_ you. Your energy feels so very different than it did before."

Shippo had worked hard to get his energy to feel, outwardly, exactly like Kurama's did now, though Kurama himself had pointed out that he was in a human body now, when Yomi had known him only as a pure demon, and this would allow for the change in energies. That he was still a fox would be able to be felt, and that would probably be enough as long as Shippo suppressed the flame element of his energy. Shippo had refused to take the chance.

"I have to be sure I'm not advised by the wrong man," Yomi stated.

"So you sent them to identify me. That's playing it very cautious Yomi, a trait you never had when I knew you," Shippo said, though he thought to himself with glee that even Yomi's caution didn't allow for such a perfect trickster as himself. Shippo was also very cautious to not let any of his real emotions into his scent. He didn't know if Yomi's sense of smell had improved on what Kurama remembered him having as well.

"You're not the only one who's gone through changes," Yomi said, turning. "I can't afford to be reckless now. Mukuro and Raizen have had centuries to perfect the keeping of power. Now that I have an equal share, they'll take any chance to dethrone me."

"A thousand years is a long time," Shippo said, Kurama's softest, most sympathetic tone issuing from his lips.

"For some things it's not. Forgive the attack, but if you were as strong as I'd heard you'd become, it wouldn't have been a threat," Yomi said, once again his arrogance laced in his tone as though he had done something to deserve it.

Shippo almost wished that Sesshoumaru was still alive, just to show Yomi what really made a demon deserve such self-confidence. Or better yet, Inu no Taisho, who had been Sesshoumaru's father and Shippo had only heard stories of. The great dog demon, Lord of the West, master of the three swords of Earth, Heaven, and Hell – only the first two of which still existed, thank Inari.

Yomi wasn't done talking yet, though his arrogance had abruptly changed to earnestness. "And it wasn't. I believe in your power," he said, turning around to face Shippo. "Kurama, please give me your trust."

Shippo was silent, as he knew Kurama would be, weighing the pros and cons of the decision, and the right way to answer such a thing. Of course, he had been given an answer to such a plea, so didn't need to think of one.

"Lord Yomi!" a new voice called, preventing Shippo from being able to actually give the answer, which he found rather annoying.

"Yes Yuda."

"It's time for the unification conference Lord," the small demon said, walking up to them, reminding Shippo of Jaken for no reason that was physical except for, perhaps, stature. The tall, arrogant lord, and the short, pandering, ugly imp of a demon. "The council has gathered."

"Excuse me," Yomi said to Shippo, walking off, but stopping as he drew level with the demon Shippo could barely help but think of as this goat's serf. "Actually Yuda, I have a thought. I want Kurama to attend today's meeting. Show him the way."

"That little thing?" Yuda demanded, very like Jaken, dripping with distaste for the taller figure he had no reason to respect – yet. "Well I don't pick up any special demon energy coming out of him," Yusa said snobbishly. "In fact, he smalls half-human. Are you sure you want him _gracing_ our table?"

Spending that extra time to get the scent absolutely perfect had been worth it.

"You heard what I said," Yomi stated, walking off.

Shippo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Yes, it was _just_ like a Sesshoumaru and Jaken relationship between those two, though he didn't believe for an instant that either of them were worthy opponents for the eldest son of the famous dog demon.

"Hmph, well, come on then," Yuda grumbled.

Shippo followed. He had successfully been accepted into Yomi's inner circle. Of course, that wouldn't necessarily make him popular with the rest of Yomi's council, and he _intended_ to make himself deeply unpopular with at least _one_ of them.

~oOo~

After the meeting, Yomi talked of what Shippo had mentioned in the meeting, and thanked Kagome that they had prepared well enough that Yomi believed Hiei to be working with Mukuro, rather than the real Kurama.

When, after presenting a rather disgusting creature to him and killing it, Yomi spoke of Kurama's mother being on a plane, and knowing so much of Kurama's life, Shippo reacted as though it was Kagome and the Higurashi family that Yomi spoke of, though he was also glad that the arrogant demon didn't seem to know about Kagome.

He didn't panic though. He was presenting an illusion, and it would not falter. He had to tell Kagome that Yomi knew of Shiori without Yomi finding out, and getting the woman out of danger, off Yomi's radar altogether if they could manage it. His mind clicked. _The cell phone_!

"Join me Kurama, help me unify them," Yomi said. It was almost an invitation or offer, but really, it was a threat. Shippo was glad that Kurama wasn't the one who had to hear it.

For now, he returned to the quarters he had been given. He had a text message to send, since talking at all within the castle seemed like a bad idea.

~oOo~


	22. Chapter 22

"For your sake, I hope you're thinking during that silence," Yomi said.

"I've developed a plan to make you stronger Yomi," Shippo said, likely more aware that their conversation was being watched than Yomi was, simply because Yomi did not care. "There are six fighters that I encountered in a previous Tournament, I would like a few months to recruit and train them for you."

Shippo could have bitten his cheek. This was Kagome's plan, and it would not make Yomi stronger, but his competition. He couldn't believe he'd almost spilled the beans about there being _another_ tournament in the works.

"On the surface it appears you've gained the ability to make friends now," Yomi said pleasantly.

Shippo resisted rolling his eyes. Yomi hadn't noticed his slips. Making Yomi stronger by training other demons? Ha!

"But you don't care about them," Yomi continued. "They're just pawns to further your plans. Your family is tougher. What do they give you?" Yomi laughed.

Shippo didn't take the bait. He knew that Kurama would have, but the Kurama that Yomi knew would not have, and besides, he didn't need to. He would be training with the guys at Genkai's place – though their training had actually already begun – and Kagome would be there. They would have to be careful though.

"Allow me a few months in human world to ready your fighters," Shippo said. "I'm sure you will be watching anyway."

Yomi chuckled, and Shippo couldn't help but think it was a cruel sound. "Of course," Yomi said. "I have to protect my _investment_," he said.

Shippo was silent. Yomi had remained cruel, goal-oriented, and callous with those under him, just as Kurama had described him to be when last they knew each other.

The very next day, Shippo returned to Human World, still disguised as Kurama. He went straight to Genkai's temple, not dropping his disguise. He wouldn't now until Yusuke arrived at Yomi's castle as already arranged. Since he had missed his opportunity at the initial contact to declare his falsehood, he would wait until the meeting to reveal himself. They wouldn't be slipping up and letting Yomi know anything that they didn't intend for him to know. The goat demon even believed that Hiei was with Mukuro, so careful was their planning.

"Hey Kurama," Kagome welcomed, smiling gently, and winking. She knew this was Shippo, but only because he had flashed his eyes to his own green colour, a more sea green than the illusion's deep emerald colouring. "Come to see the fighters?"

"Has all the training been going well?" Shippo asked.

Kagome nodded, smiling brightly. Genkai, standing beside her snorted in contempt.

"Yes, but I don't think it's enough," the old woman said. She had been in the room at both of the explanations Kagome had given – to Koenma, and to these six demons. "Hell, I doubt Yusuke's strength is enough," she added, genuinely concerned with this plan of theirs, though she understood that it was the best option.

"Shall we go in?" Kagome suggested.

Shippo nodded, and once the door closed behind them, he asked about Kurama's family and Yomi's surveillance.

"They're fine and were only being watched by a weak parasite demon, so there's no need to worry. I dropped by the other day while they were all out and put wards and exorcism sutras around the house, which drove the pest out. I threatened him a bit so he's going to keep up a false feed to his masters. I'll have to take the wards down if you or Kurama want to go visit them," Kagome answered just as quietly.

They reached the bottom step where their friends were waiting for them.

"'Bout time, piker," Chu said, smirking like he'd been invited to the party of the century.

"Chu, in high spirits as always," Shippo said, just as Kurama might have.

Chu laughed, loudly. "Very funny mate," he said. "Why don't you take a real hard look at these muscles I've been working up? Urameshi and I will have one rager blue _this time_! I guarantee it."

Rinku hopped up to hang from one of Chu's rather impressive shoulders. "Yeah, it'd be pretty awesome to throw down with Yusuke," he said with a smile. "Though Miss Kagome here has been giving me a bit of a hard time," he added, directing a small glare at the young woman who had defeated him in the first round of the Dark Tournament.

"It's for your own good," Kagome teased with a smile.

"We've fought with all sorts of belly-biggies, bein' shinobi and all, so I see it as nothin' new, but it's the chance to fight with Yusuke again that brings me back around," Jin said, his thick accent and speed of speech causing his words to take a moment to register.

"Well said Jin," Touya said, almost immediately. Apparently continued exposure made for faster uptake. "Not only do we believe in this cause, we are anxious for a good battle."

"Ever since that embarrassing loss against Miss Kagome, I've been craving a reason to start fighting and feel beautiful again," Suzuka said, causing Kagome and Genkai to chuckle.

"Good! Maybe you'll stop asking me to call you pretty," Shishiwakamaru, his imp form smaller even than Jaken, grumbled from where he was floating near the blonde's shoulder. Of course, his loss to the priestess had been no less embarrassing for him.

"Not all of us have _groupies_ to pad our self-esteem, Shishi."

"Hn, _so_ true," Shishi conceded, pleased by the reminder.

"A slew of motivations, but the result should be the same," Shippo said in Kurama's voice. "We'll fight hard to protect the balance of all three worlds."

The six demons cheered, and the training began once again, but with Shippo's illusions to be extra opponents for them to fight against, it became more intense.

Phone calls came in regularly from Hiei and Kurama in Demon World, updating them on their progress – as well as the progress of Yusuke, and most of all of Raizen. Kagome always had a smile on her face when she hung up from these phone calls, and Shippo always returned that grin with one of his own, which looked slightly out of place on Kurama's face.

The day that Yomi was to come and inspect the fighters, Kagome and Genkai left the area. They didn't want the demon lord to so much as know that they existed if it could be helped.

Yuda approached Jin first, a small device in his hand that Shippo knew measured the level of a demon's power in an abstract, numerical sense that nevertheless gave an indication of strength.

Yuda's shock and wonder grew as the ugly little creature moved from one demon to the next.

"I never would have believed it. Six fighters for us all with energy levels of a hundred and twenty thousand or higher!" he said with wonder.

Shippo smirked to himself within his own mind. It was actually more than that. He was using an illusion to suppress their levels. It wouldn't do for Yomi and the rest to know their _real_ strength, they just had to be suitably impressed.

"That can't be," Shachi, Yomi's general growled.

The other two of Yomi's highest advisers were as impressed as Yuda, and not baring even a tenth of the hatred of Shachi as they stared at the fighters.

"You said you've spent some time on them, but these levels are rare feats," Yuda said to Kurama, not pleased to be so impressed by the 'weak, half-human'. "How did you get them so strong?"

Shippo shrugged. "Just good nutrition and the proper exercise, nothing special," he said pleasantly.

"_Funny_," Touya said with clenched teeth and a scowl on his face, unamused and dripping sarcasm.

"Why don't you say them the _real_ training she put us through!" Chu growled.

"Yeah, like the four _weeks_ locked in that cave!" Rinku said, also unimpressed with the joke as he stepped up a little.

"Or balancing on spikes," Shishi added.

"Or bein' buried alive with the snakes an' things,!" Jin said with an Irish loath for reptiles of all kinds, his own teeth clenched as well.

"Hag didn't let me shower for _months_," Suzuka complained.

Yuda could only blink at the strange recounting of the training methods he was hearing. It made no sense.

Yomi smiled and turned to Shippo. "Excellent work, you've done as promised, and so, I'd like to make you my new second-in-command if you'll accept it."

Shachi didn't like that idea much, it was clear on his face. After all, that was _his_ position!

Shippo had to stir the melting pot though. "Sure," he said simply.

"But, Lord Yomi, should you be so rash?" Shachi appealed. "We don't know if we can trust these six, where their loyalties lie," he pointed out.

Shippo was almost ready to applaud the large, ugly demon and congratulate him on demonstrating smarts. Of course, it was really just his prejudice talking, but Yomi would have been more sensible to listen to his old general.

"That is enough from you," Yomi said sternly, like a parent scolding a complaining child. "What have you done these past five hundred years to further my power Shachi?"  
"But, our army!"

"It is true, by numbers you are the second strongest fighter we have on our side, but in brains and leadership you are _weak_," Yuda scolded.

"What do you know?" Shachi growled.

Shippo was inclined to agree with his enemy.

"You speak of the army you've maintained, but what good has it done? Can you name so much as one soldier with energy levels even _close_ to a hundred thousand? There is a dark time ahead of us. A great war for power where any edge we get could mean the difference between order and bowing to Mukuro's chaos. In his short time here, Kurama has brought six fighters stronger than your entire army combined, yet you can't even give him praise!" Yuda scolded, even more so that Yomi had.

Shippo could only be reminded of Jaken's long-winded speeches when he would scold someone, only to defer when Sesshoumaru said something along the lines of -

"Yuda, that's enough," Yomi said.

Shippo fought down another smirk. Just like that. Kagome would be amused to watch them.

"Your point is heard. Now please draw up the papers to make this change of power official," Yomi continued, then stood from his chair. "What matters here is that our path to unification can live another day," he said, turning to leave the chamber.

The next night, as Shippo walked the corridors of Yomi's castle, he was aware that Shachi was following him, and suppressed his energy level down as low as he could while maintaining his illusions. "Shachi," he called. "No more hiding." It was unfortunate that the fool had to die, and Shippo didn't really want to kill the fool, but he was in the way, and that could be a problem later on. "Let's settle this."

Shachi stepped out from the shadows he had been so poorly concealed in, his trident-like weapon in hand. Appropriate for something that looked like it had crawled out of a lake near a nuclear power plant.

"Be wise," Shippo advised, "A blade can't undo what is past."

"And that's what your kind never gets," Shachi said, pointing his trident at Shippo. "Blades can undo anything."

Sounded like what Kurama had said Yomi was like in his younger days to Shippo, and they probably had the same level of intelligence.

"What Yuda said is correct, dark times approach," Shippo warned. He wasn't normally a string-it-out kind of demon, but he felt he should give the idiot some warning. "I cannot waste effort on your personal feelings. I have acted solely on what I think is right, and my moves have been precise. The only thing you can influence now is the time of your own death."

"I'll put your head on a stick!" Shachi declared, charging, furious.

Shippo dodged with elegance only achieved by foxes, and worked on a new illusion within his own mind. Time to pretend he wasn't just Kurama, but also Yoko to this fool who would be dead in moments.

"Your power's nothing to mine!" Shachi declared, unaware that it was suppressed before, and that it was less so now. "You don't stand a chance with that human stink on you!"

Shippo transformed, now a silver fox as he remembered Kurama to be when they had first met, his energy signature also changed to how he remembered the great demon's power to be. He used the other demon's trademark rose whip to chop up the demon, and did it quickly.

He glanced at the device that measured energy levels, checking to see how much he had allowed out at that moment.

One hundred and fifty-two thousand.

"Your... power... how?" Shachi ground out, likely his last words.

"Fool. You should have known your enemy," Shippo said coldly. It was good advice for everyone in the castle, but advice he knew they could not take, with the way their plan which had been conceived in Human World was being so very carefully executed. He transformed back into Kurama's human form, knowing that Yomi was aware that 'Yoko' had surfaced.

~oOo~

Kurama had quickly discovered that Mukuro needed a therapist of some kind more than she needed a new second-in-command, and between killing her hordes for her amusement, he endeavoured to get to the bottom of everything. One night when he found her asleep at her desk, he cut the cuffs of her slavery from her wrists. He also gifted her a sinning tree to torment her tormentor. Small tokens.

He also told her that Hiei, whom she had originally wished to join her, was the owner of that hiroseki stone she kept, and that he wanted it back.

"You have a way of delivering it to him?" Mukuro asked.

Kurama shook his head. "Not presently. But when this power struggle has resolved, I know he intends to return to his sister in Human World, as I intend to return to my human family."

Mukuro nodded and gave it to him, so that he could return it to the fire demon when they saw one another again.

Some months after that conversation, and approximately in time with when Kurama knew Shippo would be dubbed Yomi's second-in-command in accordance with Kagome's plan, Raizen's stomach-growl was off time – late.

"Do you suppose that means he caved and ate? Or is he dead?" Mukuro asked.

"I believe that even if he did eat at this stage, the pain of taking something into his shrivelled stomach would prevent him from eating enough to save his life," Kurama answered.

"Which means that the time has come to take the fight to Yomi," Mukuro said, a smirk in her voice.

Kurama nodded.

~oOo~

Raizen had slowly been regaining his strength, thanks to the foods that Yusuke had brought from Human World. He had also been training the boy he thought of as his son, as well as his friend Hiei. Lessons of how certain things were done mostly. Haukushin and the others were the ones they practised with, or _on_ rather. He was pleased with their progress, as well as his own. It took a while – some six months – but he was finally able to eat a truly filling meal again, and his stomach was silent in perfect time with the plan Yusuke had relayed to him.

"Feelin' better?" Yusuke asked as he burst through the door.

Raizen smiled at his boy. "Yes, thank you Yusuke."

"So are you ready to tell me why you stopped eating?"

Raizen smirked quietly. "Alright," he conceded at last, and told of the medicine woman he had met, lain with, and then realised he was so unworthy of that he left with an oath.

"She sounds a lot like Kagome," Yusuke said at last. "Apart from the, you know, ingesting poisons and the sex bit."

Raizen chuckled. "But she's not the one you're in love with."

"Nah, Keiko's the only one for me. She packs a hell of a punch too," Yusuke said fondly.

"Like father like son, even if it _is_ several generations difference," Raizen said.

"Yusuke," Hiei called from the door. "Your 'peace offering' for Yomi is ready," he said with a smirk, holding up the bag of stones they had both had spent many nights carving.

Yusuke smirked. "Thanks Hiei. Can you go dig Raizen here a grave? I reckon some of his old pals are gonna want to visit when word gets out that he's dead," he said with an amused snicker.

Raizen chuckled as well. "Yes, this will bring them out of the woodwork," he agreed. "I can't wait to see them all again," he paused. "Except for maybe Koko."

"Ex?" Yusuke asked.

Raizen smirked and nodded. "She wasn't too pleased about me choosing a human woman."

"Right, well, I'll call Haukushin and tell him it's time to get moving," Yusuke said, accepting the bag from Hiei and leaving the room.

"How far from full strength are you still?" Hiei asked. "And Yusuke compared to you?"

Raizen chuckled. "I'm an old demon," he pointed out. "It's a little late in life for me to reach the full potential I had when I was your age. I'd say I can get to three quarters of what I once was."

Hiei snorted in contempt. "Old age is for humans. Drop the act," he advised. "Any demon can reach their full potential as long as they have the will to do so."

Raizen laughed. "Yes. Thank you Hiei. If you will order my grave, I'm going to the kitchen," he said, excusing himself and leaving his throne room for the first time in centuries. "As for Yusuke, his bird, and yourself, I would suppose you have reached almost half of the power I have in my current state. It's quite impressive for so short a time," he added over his shoulder.

"Then I shall train harder," Hiei said to the empty room before returning to the training area. There wasn't any point in actually ordering the tombstone after all.

~oOo~

"Raizen's stomach has ceased it's incessant rumbling. What do you make of it Kurama?"Yomi asked.

"Two possibilities," Shippo answered. "First, he couldn't stand it any more and gave in, eating a human and satiating his hunger. Second, he suffers no longer, meaning..."

"Meaning he is dead," Yomi finished with a pleased smirk.

"But so much earlier than we anticipated?" Shippo asked, recalling Yuda's prediction that Raizen would die in approximately a year, and it had only been a little over six months. "I think it too early to come to that conclusion just yet."

"We'll wait. Whatever you suggest Kurama, that's why I made you my top advisor," Yomi said.

Shippo knew that Mukuro would be moving, and in their direction. More importantly, he also knew that Yusuke would be heading their way as well.

~oOo~


	23. Chapter 23

Yusuke, being his usual self, scared Haukushin by loudly yelling at Yomi to put on a kettle of tea when they reached his borders. Shortly after that, they were politely escorted through Yomi's castle to meet with the blind demon lord.

Along the way, he was aware of Kurama's energy in two places, which would have really confused him if he didn't know that Shippo was disguised as Kurama. As it was, it meant that Mukuro was coming as well, and would be on hand to hear what he had to say.

Yusuke was settled into a traditional styled room, and when Yomi arrive he was presented with the tea he had loudly asked for at the demon's borders.

"So, why have you come to see me? And please, be direct. I have no time to waste beating about the bush," Yomi said. Not even a greeting.

"Well, as the new king on the block, I thought it only fair for me to tell you in person exactly how I'm gonna rip you off your throne," Yusuke answered, bluntly, not stating that Raizen was dead, though it was a heavy implication.

"Oh," Yomi answered, though he didn't seem too concerned. "Alright, then in the interest of full disclosure, allow me to show you how I plan to stop you," Yomi said, beginning to build up his energy for an attack.

"That's cool, but first I got somethin' for ya," Yusuke answered, unconcerned as he picked up from the floor the bag that he had brought and put it on the small table between them, pushing it towards Yomi. "We'll call it a gift."

"How thoughtful of you, would you mind unwrapping it to?" Yomi asked, suddenly sugar lacing his voice like he was some kind of confection. "I'm afraid I can't see things as well as I used to."

"Sure," Yusuke said, hands around the knot. "Now they might scatter a bit, so I hope you don't mind."

The cloth opened and the things inside did indeed scatter, though not overly much. Fortunately or unfortunately, poor Haukushin hadn't been told about the great plan.

"But that's our entire national treasure! All our romari stones!" he objected, shocked. "Do you have any idea how rare and valuable those are?" he demanded of his leader.

Yomi smiled as he reached out and picked up one of the stones.

"I thank you Mister Urameshi for this most generous of gifts," he said pleasantly. "Oh, I can tell this stone is real by its touch. But what is your true purpose in this offer?" he asked.

Yusuke smirked when he saw Yomi notice it.

"There's something carved in this stone," the blind demon said. "It says Mukuro. That one says Kurama; Houkushin; Yusuke; Hiei. You engraved names in all of these stones?"

"Yeah, I was just going to paint 'em on, but I figured this way you could read 'em as well," Yusuke said, never mind that Hiei had done an equal share of the carving. The point was that every stone had a name on it.

Houkushin had a fit. "Ah! You desecrated the treasure! How could you do such a thing!"

"Look I'm not a particularly bright guy, and just because I'm Raizen's heir doesn't mean I'm qualified to replace him. So maybe it's time we found another way of crowning the big cheese around here," Yusuke explained with a pleased smirk. Kagome's plan was about to come to fruition. "Each of these has the name of someone from Demon World on them. We'll all face off in a big Tournament representing not kingdoms, but ourselves, and the one who wins the Tournament will be the one to rule us all. For a period of time at least, until the next Tournament when we all do it over again. From what I understood in social studies it's called democracy, and it's all the rage back home. Except we'll cast our votes with fists. What do you say, big guy?"

Shippo wanted to hit the boy for his complete butchering of what democracy was, but he was still as eager for this as ever.

"Do you honestly think that _I_, or anyone else, will go along with this?" Yomi demanded.

The screen door to the next room slid open with a bang.

"Sign me up, so I say!" Jin declared happily.

Yusuke laughed in delight at seeing them, jumping to his feet as everybody else stepped in from the next room, revealing themselves.

"What are you guys doin' here!" he asked, grinning from ear to ear as he looked over all of them.

"To see you pal!" Jin answered happily, stepping forward.

"Jin! How ya doin' man?"

"Oi bluger!"

"Chu! Are you sober?"

The three laughed together like they were drunk, arms slung over each other's shoulders, and Yusuke, the shortest of the three, in the middle and literally suspended above the floor by his friends.

Shippo dropped his illusion.

"Sorry Yomi, but from now on, I'm only on my side. Oh yeah, and Kurama was never interested in your unification," Shippo told him. "And he didn't care about the assassin he sent after you. He was under the impression that you were dead, and was somewhat displeased to find out that you weren't."

"I had wondered why I could feel Kurama's energy in two places today," Yomi growled. "Who are you?"

"Name's Shippo, I'm a friend of Kurama's. He didn't want to see you, and wasn't interested in your plans, so I came to see if I could convince you that I was him," Shippo answered with a grin, before he became serious again. "Now back to matters at hand? I promise you: if you don't go along with this, none of us will hesitate to take Yusuke's side over yours."

"Kurama..." Yomi growled, but he was sweating. He could hear the real Kurama standing with Mukuro and laughing.

He also heard when Mukuro declared that she, too, would go along with Yusuke's plan.

"Fine," he said, standing. "I accept," he declared, though he clearly wasn't pleased about having to.

Yusuke invited all his friends to Raizen's castle to hang out until the Tournament.

~oOo~

Mukuro stopped Yusuke and his friends as they left Gandera, Kurama at her side.

"It is truly a pleasure to meet you, son of Raizen," Mukuro said, then held out some flowers. "Please, place these at Raizen's grave for me."

Yusuke accepted solemnly. He didn't know much about flowers, but they were certainly pretty.

"He was a great leader," Mukuro said. "Like you. But he died a fool."

Yusuke just smiled. "Thanks for the compliment," he said. "Hey Kurama, you called Kagome lately?"

Kurama smiled. "Yesterday," he answered.

Jin, Chu, and the others stared from Shippo to Kurama.

"Damn and this kid had us fooled the whole time!" Jin exclaimed. "I thought we were trainin' under you all those months!"

Kurama chuckled while Shippo blushed, flattered.

"I don't understand," Mukuro said.

"Yomi sent a message to me, if you recall. I didn't want to go, but he isn't the kind to accept 'no' for an answer. Shippo is a good friend of mine, and likes to get up to mischief, so he did me a little favour," Kurama explained.

Mukuro sighed. "I see. Kurama, thank you for these six months of helping me, but I can tell you wish to go with your friends now. I will see you at the Tournament," she said, then disappeared into the evening mist.

"What was it like?" Yusuke asked.

"Mukuro is an exhausting creature to keep up with," Kurama admitted. "For you?"

"Pretty good, actually," Yusuke answered with a grin. "Now come on you guys, Hiei and Puu are waiting for us back at Raizen's castle."

~oOo~

"How did they take it?" Raizen asked Yusuke when he got back.

"Yomi's upset, but he's going along with it," Yusuke answered. "Mukuro gave me flowers for your grave," he added, handing over the small, almost weed-like flowers.

"Thoughtful of him," Raizen said, accepting them. "I wouldn't have thought Mukuro to be the type to send flowers to anybody."

"It makes more sense when you know that Mukuro is actually a woman," Kurama said, sitting down. "It is an honour to meet you, King Raizen. I am Kurama."

"A woman?" Raizen asked, surprised. "I guess it does make more sense then. So you're the spirit fox who's woman came up with this plan? The honour is mine. I hope I might get to meet her some day."

Kurama smiled and gave introductions for the other demons who had come with them, as well as handing over the hiroseki stone he had acquired from Mukuro to Hiei. Chu, Raizen instantly liked, but their opening a bottle of something was interrupted by a call from the east.

"We're here!"

"That's Koku's voice," Raizen said, standing to go and greet her. Of course, her saying that 'we' had tipped him off that more than just her was out there. "And Enki's footsteps. Old friends of mine," he explained with a smile. "Old friends I haven't seen for a very long time."

Yusuke got to the door first.

"Just who the hell, or what, are you?" he demanded in shock, stunned by the sight of a large red male demon and a very shapely female one. He'd expected some of Raizen's old friends to show up when he 'died', but he hadn't expected them to look like _this_.

"When we heard that Raizen croaked, we set out for this dump as fast as we could to pay our respects," the female said.

"Hello I'm Enki, and this little fire cracker is my lovely wife Koku," the large red demon, Enki, said, introducing them.

"And what exactly is your relationship with our late king?" Haukushin asked tersely. The poor guy really was very out of the loop. It was almost like having another Kuwabara around, only this one could fight a bit better.

"Well, we used to be sparring buddies back in the old days," Enki said. "Sure we were strong, but Raizen was stronger I'll tell ya, and if Mukuro or Yomi had seen Raizen at his prime they would have pissed their pants if you'll excuse my colourful language."

"That's just what Kagome guessed," Kurama said quietly with a smile, emerging to hear what was said.

"That was until he went all ga-ga for some cheap little whore that he met up in Human World!" Koku said, getting up in Yusuke's face, clearly very upset about this still. "So he comes back and dumps me like I'm yesterday's garbage. Got any clue how insulting that is?"

"Jeez! You smell like booze!" Yusuke yelped, backing away.

"After he rejected me, I didn't give a crap any more so I married this lug," Koku said, jerking her thumb at Enki. "But I don't care 'cause I've been drinking ever since and feel great." To demonstrate her point she shifted the gourd she had over her shoulder and drank deeply from it.

"I'm glad to hear that," Raizen said quietly, stepping out of his castle. He grinned as jaws dropped all around him.

"How- but-" Haukushin couldn't take it in.

"Raizen, you jerk!" Koku yelled when she spotted him. "We thought you were dead! Everybody's coming and you're still alive!"

"Another human heard about me starving myself and sent food with my boy here, food that I can eat, but that doesn't include human as an ingredient. I'm feeling pretty good these days myself," he said, smiling as he looked between Enki and Koku. "And she wasn't a whore," he added, a little more sternly.

"Raizen," Enki said, frowning. "What's the meaning of this?"

"My kid found out about me, and his friends decided to do something," Raizen said with a chuckle, as he walked up to his old friend. "I wasn't given much choice in the matter. Come in, I think one of Yusuke's friends may have found the ogre killer already."

Koku ran straight into the building, intent on the booze and a possible drinking buddy.

"You know, after we parted ways, we lost our passion for fighting," Enki told Raizen, following him towards the door slowly. "We've come to lead a quiet, peaceful life."

"How have you been enjoying it?"

Enki nodded. "It's pretty good actually," he admitted with a small smile. "We thought you'd lost your mind, but since we've changed the way we lived, we've probably been happier."

Raizen smiled a content smile to hear about how his friends had been doing.

"Hello!" a bunch of voice called out.

"It certainly took them long enough to get here," Enki said, stopping at the door and turning around.

"I'm about to get lynched for being alive, aren't I?" Raizen joked.

Enki laughed, clapping him on the shoulder.

"So, this Tournament we heard about? Is that really going ahead?" Enki asked.

Raizen nodded. "Oh yes," he answered, watching the faces of old friends as they saw him standing there, alive after they'd heard he was dead. "I hope you're all going to participate."

Enki laughed. "Hey guys, what do you say we dust off our rusty powers and see if we've still got it like we used to?" he called to the others. "We'll make this a fight to remember!"

Raizen's friends cheered, and charged up, their energies building and building. Yusuke's friends all stood watching in amazement – apart from Chu, who was still inside with the alcohol, but he nearly spat it out when he felt the power surge from just outside. The energy exploded out and then up, piercing the clouds.

"That's a beaut," Jin said happily. "A real _beaut_!"

"Sweet!" Yusuke agreed, grinning madly, "Now _this _is getting _good_!"

Both groups of friends trained together for the week it took to get the whole Tournament actually organised, and most of them couldn't wipe the grins off their faces the whole time.

~oOo~

It didn't take long on the first day of the Demon World Tournament for Mukuro and Yomi to find Yusuke among the crowds.

"It's been some time since our meeting," Mukuro said. "You've developed your strength and skills even more since then, haven't you? Don't worry though, I've got a few surprises in store myself," she said, reaching for the bandages around her head, tearing them off with a flourish.

It caused quite a stir among the general population of demons to learn that Lord Mukuro was actually a woman.

"Sorry, but the sound of your voice gave that one away," Yusuke said with a smile and a shrug. "I'm looking forward to fighting you though."

"There is no better training than the real thing," Mukuro agreed. "I suggest you use the experience of these earlier fights to raise yourself up to my level," she said as she turned and walked away. "I wouldn't want for you to be defeated before it's your time to bow out."

"Father, that lady was Mukuro?" the boy beside Yomi asked.

"It was," Yomi answered.

"Strange. I thought for some reason that she'd look a lot tougher than that."

"I didn't know you had a kid Yomi," Yusuke said, walking up to them, then turned to address the boy. "Come to watch your father fight kid?" he asked.

"I'm not a kid, I'm Shura, and I'm here to fight," the boy insisted.

Yusuke pursed his lips as he thought about that. "If you say so," he allowed.

"Father," Shura said, turning to Yomi once more. "You are not to think of me as your son in the Tournament. If we fight, you have to promise to give me everything you've got!"

"Yes, I promise," Yomi said kindly.

"If you go easy on me I never want to see you again!" Shura added before running off.

"He seems like a real handful," Yusuke observed. "But I get the feeling you'd go easy on him anyway."

Yomi chuckled. "He's my son. It seems like only yesterday that he emerged from his embryonic incubation tank. Do you know what woke him? That blast of power from your territory. I too was awakened by it, from a long slumber of self-assurance. It's true that I have plans for when I gain power, but now I don't want it unless I win here," he said, then smiled as he answered the question Yusuke had actually asked him. "Yes, I will probably go easy on him. I want him to get stronger, not get killed. May the best destiny win, Mister Urameshi," he said, turning and walking off.

"The drawing of lots will now commence!" A voice called over the speakers. "And I'll hand things off to your official hostess of ceremonies, the most effervescent and lovely lady to ever list black and blue as her favourite colour!"

"Hello, ladies and freaks! Who else could _possibly_ be your guide through this inaugural tour of carnage but me! The hostess with the most-ess and your voice of choice, Koto! Cause no one rocks the fight mike right, like Koto rocks it, am I right?" Koto cried, appearing amid stage lights before doing a very dainty flip into her announcer's booth. "Joining me in the commentary box is Kagome Higurashi, who some might remember as being a human member of Team Urameshi from the Dark Tournament. There are a lot of rumours circulating about this girl, but there's one thing for sure -" Koto said, smiling at the young woman sliding into the other seat in the box.

"Try and eat me, and you'll only get purified," Kagome finished with smug satisfaction. Shippo, Kurama, and Koenma had arranged for her to be here. Though human, she was powerful enough that she was perfectly safe. She wanted to see her handiwork. Genkai had stayed behind however, uninterested.

"Kagome Higurashi comes to us to provide an opinion on the conditions of different fighters as the Tournament progresses, as she has, for reasons she isn't interested in talking about, a lot of experience with demons and the injuries that they inflict upon one another," Koto explained. "Also joining us in the box is Yomi's old advisor Mr Yuda, who is an expert on demon energies."

"Thank you," the wrinkled, old little demon said quietly.

"Originally, this drawing was to use the engraved romari stones that Yusuke presented to Yomi, but because of the huge turn out, we'll be using lottery cards instead. Each contestant will draw the number of the group they'll be in for the preliminaries. Mukuro, a strong favourite, has drawn group seventy-four. Yomi, the other odds-on favourite, has drawn group thirty-four. The man who proposed this event and won the Dark Tournament, Mr Urameshi, will be in group one-zero-six."

Other demons names came up on the board, and Kagome sighed in quiet relief that no one she knew was in the same group together, and even Raizen's friends weren't in any of the preliminary groups with them.

"Oh my!" Koto said. "It seems that Shura has drawn group thirty-four, and father and son will be pitted against each other! Both of them will go in, but only one of them will come out a winner!"

"That should be an interesting fight to see," Kagome commented. "Will Yomi take the fight seriously, or simply toy with his son, teaching him? All the same, I expect we will yet have other, more interesting draws."

Shortly after, everyone saw exactly what Kagome was talking about.

"Raizen has drawn group number fourty-seven," Koto announced calmly, then seemed to realise what she had just said. "Hang on, _Raizen_! I thought he was dead! Otherwise, how did Yusuke become the king of the territory to suggest this to Yomi and Mukuro?"

Kagome chuckled. "What, a demon can't just retire?" she asked pleasantly. "I think that was rather tricky of the guy. Now here he is, a powerful foe for anybody, and with all of Demon World up for grabs. I wonder if Yomi and Mukuro have started sweating yet?"

"This will certainly make the Tournament more interesting," Koto said, a grin creeping onto her face. "Even if Raizen has been starving himself for centuries, and was recently believed dead, he certainly looks to be in excellent condition to fight now. This brings new meaning to the statement 'I got better,' that's for sure! But that brings an end to the drawing of lots!"

A demon tapped Koto on the shoulder and handed her a sheet of paper.

"Well I've just been handed some information," she said. "It's a long list of all the people who just voluntarily dropped out of the Tournament. What do you make of this Mr Yuda?" Koto asked.

"Any number of things. I suspect that most on that list are ones who found themselves to be in the same group as Mukuro, Yomi, or Raizen, others may well have only entered the Tournament to get their fifteen seconds in front of the camera, and are now going to go home before it gets messy," the demon responded.

"There's a point of view I can't understand," Koto said. "Now, let the Demon World Tournament _begin_!"

~oOo~


	24. Chapter 24

Koto almost crowed with delight throughout the preliminaries at the spectacular violence, rejoicing at "bones flying everywhere like a busted piñata!"

Group 5. Hiei had beheaded everybody in his bracket with almost embarrassing ease.

Group 7. Shippo cast an illusion on himself so that no one would see him, and waited until there was only one fighter left, then revealed himself as he used Kurama's trade mark whip, rather than using one of his own tricks.

Group 8. Rinku efficiently multi-tasked his way to a win, knocking out all of his competition with yo-yos that none of them were ready for.

Group 11. Tetsuzan. Raizen's friend in the helmet. It proved rather good for skull-bashing.

Group 13. Shigure, who Kurama had already killed once at Mukuro's behest, sent his circular blade through the middle of all his opponents.

Group 23. Kirin. Mukuro's old second-in-command. He proved himself to be rather handy with an axe. Kagome speculated about Kirin's possible relation to Tetsuzan, since they had similar builds and were both wearing similar armour over their heads.

Group 26. Den Hou, the largest of Raizen's old friends. Really, he just stepped on everybody, and didn't need to do anything else.

Group 29. Saizou. A friend of Raizen's with very impressive wings. A bit of a flap and everyone went over the side.

Group 31. Touya had frozen the other competitors solid, and at a full ten minutes of being the only one _able_ to move, was declared the winner.

Group 33. Shishiwakamaru won after shrinking into his imp form and attacking his last opponent from inside. Suzuka intended to have a serious talk with his friend about never frightening him like that again.

Group 34. Yomi. He had used the fight to teach his son, and had gone easy on him. He outclassed his son easily, though the boy was very stubborn about not giving up for quite a large amount of the fight.

Group 46. Jin blew away his competition, literally.

Group 47. Raizen passed through without much of a fight. A demon who had come back from practically dead, particularly as it was _him_, was very intimidating to the demon masses. All of one demon showed up, thinking maybe Raizen was weak from being nearly dead recently. Raizen didn't even shift his stance, just beheading the fool with a flick of his claws. From a distance of fifteen feet.

Group 48. Natsume. The only other girl Raizen seemed to know apart from Koku. She let another in her group do most of the fighting, only dealing with the demons that specifically came to her, and then took out the other serious fighter when he was the only other one left.

Group 54. The beautiful Suzuka stunned everybody with his killer colours – which were more successful this time than when he had attacked Kagome with them.

Group 59. Enki had made himself king of the hill, and made the hill out of his competition.

Group 63. Kurama disassembled bodies with his rose whip.

Group 64. Shuu. It was like his skin was made of metal, both by it's look and the way nothing seemed to hurt him. Other demons ran away from him when their own fists broke as they tried to hit him.

Group 74. No one but Mukuro showed up, and she was declared the winner by default.

Group 77. Koku kicked male-demon butt and looked great in skin-tight clothing while she did it.

Group 85. Souketsu, despite the rather ridiculous purple beret, made quick work of his foes.

Group 90. Haukushin, though _how_ he secured his victory no one was quite sure – though he did defeat all the other shaven-headed demons who had come from Raizen's territory, all of whom had wound up in the same group as him.

Group 97. Chu destroyed his competition one by one, bashing in their skulls with his harder head.

Group 106. Yusuke won with a series of tough punches, sending every one of his opponents flying off the okaninju stalk they had been designated to fight on.

Group 128. Kujou. Natsume's brother and another of Raizen's friends. He just ploughed through everybody in much the same was as Yusuke.

~oOo~

Raizen went looking for Kagome after his rather pathetic preliminary match. When he found her, she was already surrounded by Hiei, Shippo, Kurama and a few other figures that he hadn't met before.

"Come _on_ Koenma, don't worry so much," Kagome was saying. "From what I hear, Yomi's not smart enough about how he fights and Mukuro has been softening up a bit since Kurama's been playing at being her therapist. You _don't need _to_ worry_," she insisted to a man in a black and white suit with brown hair, a red bandanna, and a blue pacifier in his mouth.

Raizen was so surprised to see a grown man sucking a _binky_ that he didn't realised he had been noticed.

"You must be Raizen," Kagome said, smiling and stepping over to him. "I'm honoured to meet you, and glad to see you looking so healthy."

Raizen smiled. "Thanks to your planning, I understand," he complimented. "The honour is mine."

"Well, I had a little help with finding the recipes that actually got your strength back up," Kagome said, indicating Kurama and Hiei. "These two helped by discussing the chemical elements required, as well as flavours demons preferred. Keiko, Yusuke's girlfriend, helped me find the recipes, as well as making up a couple."

"I didn't realise my thanks was to be so widely spread. They have all been giving you the total of the credit," Raizen said with a laugh. "Nevertheless, I owe you much thanks. In the mean time, will someone introduce me to the people here who I do not know?"

"Certainly," Hiei offered, stepping forward. "Raizen, these are Koenma, Botan, and my sister Yukina."

"Ah," Raizen said, stroking his chin with one clawed hand as he turned to look at Koenma. "You're Enma's boy. You seem to have been fortunate enough to not inherit his face," he joked before turning to Yukina and taking her hand. "It is an honour to meet you. I hope you are very proud of your brother."

Yukina nodded, a smile on her face. "I am sir," she answered. "It is an honour to meet you as well."

Raizen smiled and nodded.

"Did you want something specifically Raizen?" Hiei asked.

"Just to thank Miss Kagome," he said, shaking his head. "Is that not acceptable?"

Shippo laughed. "Of course it's acceptable!" he answered. "But if you hang around long enough for Koenma to remember how to use his voice box, he's going to start asking about what you intend to do if you win this Tournament."

Raizen laughed and everyone returned to their seats, Raizen sitting among them in a friendly atmosphere. "That's alright," he said with a smile. "I have come to like conversation."

Before Raizen had to leave them again for his first _real_ fight of the Tournament, he had managed to convince Koenma into looking for the soul of the woman he had fallen in love with all those thousand or so years ago.

~oOo~

Raizen watched every fight with joyful envy once the real Tournament fights began. His son was completely right in his little speech, he hoped that none of them died, because he would really like the chance to throw down with a lot of these demons. Several times if he could. As long as this Tournament continued then _he_ would continue to to have good fights with interesting opponents.

"Even if I were to win it every time, I would still hold this Tournament every three years, just for the fun of it," he said to himself with a smile. "And maybe one day, I would face someone who would actually get the better of me."

"Talkin' to yourself old man?" Yusuke asked, smirking as he walked up to Raizen.

"Hello son," he said with a chuckle. "Just enjoying the fights," he added, answering the question rather than ignoring it. "You're fighting Yomi next."

"Yeah, I know, I'm looking forward to it, but..." Yusuke said, scratching the back of his neck. "Do you think I can do it? Beat him, I mean."

Raizen lay a hand on Yusuke's shoulder and looked his boy in the eye. "Don't forget what you're fighting for, don't let him get free punches, and use every trick you can think of. Make up a few if you have to. If you can do that, I think you'll win. So, do _you_ think you can do that?"

"What I'm fighting for..." Yusuke said quietly, looking down. "To keep Keiko safe," he answered, and a greater ease settled into his muscles. "Thanks, Dad."

Raizen smiled at his boy, touched for a moment by Yusuke calling him by such a title for the first time since they had met.

"Oh, and one more thing," Raizen said, pulling something out of his pocket. "You'll probably fight better without quite so much of your hair in your face like that," he joked, tying the bandanna, just like his own, around Yusuke's hair, pushing the masses of brown hair back from hanging in the boy's face.

Yusuke chuckled. "Yeah, that is a bit better. Actually, I'd have cut the whole lot off, but Kagome said carrying it around would be good for my neck muscles."

Raizen laughed. "It's also something of a sign of prestige," Raizen said. "A sort of royal mane, if you will."

Yusuke laughed as well. "If she'd said _that_ I would probably have chopped it off at the first opportunity. I think Kagome knows too much for my own good."

Raizen patted his boy on the head, pushing down and messing his mass of hair fondly. "You've got a fight to get to. Get out of here."

"Yeah yeah!" Yusuke said, ducking out from under the hand and heading off. "Just make sure that when I get back there's lunch waiting, alright? I want a burger!"

Raizen watched Yusuke run off to his fight, cocky and confident and looking forward to his fight like only a boy who didn't lose often could.

Souketsu walked up to Raizen. Jin, who he had just defeated, was hanging from his shoulders as they were on their way to see Kagome and get Jin fixed up. "Are you proud of your son Raizen?"

"Yes," Raizen admitted. "Yes, I am." He looked at the unconscious figure draped over Souketsu's back. "Yusuke has as many friends determined to defeat him as I do. How can I not be proud of him?"

Souketsu chuckled. "That he saved you from dying and set up this bit of fun has nothing to do with it then?" the lizard-like demon asked.

"Well, that too," Raizen agreed, chuckling himself. "I saw your fight. He almost had you once or twice," he said with a nod to the wind shinobi.

"Yes, I was surprised. By the next Tournament, he's likely to be even stronger as well. Might almost get me more than just once or twice," Souketsu joked.

Kujou walked up then, carrying the other shinobi of Yusuke's friends. "We got to stop takin' out your kid's pals," he said. "He won't be too impressed."

"You didn't get frostbite in your brain did you Kujou?" Raizen asked with a laugh. "It's just going to motivate them to get better for the next Tournament."

"You want to keep these going?" Kujou asked, surprised. "I thought you wanted to be the big man in charge."

Raizen shook his head. "I began the old fight with Mukuro for the sake of fighting, then other demons started getting behind us, we both began caring about what was best for Demon World in general, and then Yomi gathered a collection of followers and muscled his way into the fight and opinion-throwing as well. With fights like this every few years, then we'll all get our bit of fun, and demon world will probably be alright."

His two friends chuckled, shifting their loads slightly higher on their backs.

"Sounds good t' me," Kujou said. "This really is a good idea your boy had."

"Wasn't actually his idea," Raizen said. "And don't look at me, it certainly wasn't mine."

"Then, who?" Kujou asked, confused. "Everyone knows it was your boy made the proposition to Yomi, and Mukuro backed him."

Raizen smirked and nodded to the shinobi his friends were carrying. "When you take them to get fixed up by Miss Higurashi, ask _her_. She's one smart human."

Souketsu and Kujou turned to stare at each other for a moment before taking off to get their answers and their young friends treated.

~oOo~


	25. Chapter 25

"I think a lot of demons here today have been looking forward to this fight Koto," Kagome said in the commentary box as the giant screen in front of them displayed Yomi and Yusuke stepping up onto a small ring on their okaninju stalk. They weren't confined to the small ring, but it was a meeting place and starting point.

"Absolutely Kagome. The betting pools on this fight are some of the richest, on both sides. I think everyone from Gandera is betting on Yomi, but there are also a lot of demons out there who saw Yusuke at the Dark Tournament, and they're backing him," Koto agreed. "Now, I'm neutral and I'm going to enjoy this fight no matter who wins, but who do you think will win? Kagome? Mr Yuda?"

"Lord Yomi was able to carve out and maintain a territory in Demon World for going on seven hundred years," Yuda pointed out. "To believe he could be beaten by a boy who hasn't even been alive two full decades is ridiculous."

"I disagree," Kagome said. "I admit, I have faith in Yusuke as a former team mate, but I've also seen a lot of the training he's gone through in Human World, and my understanding is that he also received more training in his demon heritage from Raizen himself. Yusuke's a hard study when it comes to pain, and when he was just a human, he more than doubled his power in the space of a little less than a year. Since he died and was reborn as one of the Mazoku line a little over half a year ago, I'd hazard a guess that he's doubled it again," Kagome argued.

"Well if there's one thing _I_ know about both of these fighters," Koto said, "it's that neither of them likes to lose, and they'll really be going at it out there today! This is a fight that could go either way, so I guess there's only one way to know how it's going to turn out. Let's get this punch-party started!"

"Fighting at the same time as Yusuke are two of my other team mates from the Dark Tournament. Hiei against the demon surgeon Shigure, and Kurama has been matched to fight – oh, never mind, he's knocked him out already!" Kagome said with a smile. "Referring back then to Hiei's fight with Shigure, when I was invited to come and commentate at this Tournament, Hiei sent an additional message to me, requesting a sword from my family's collection. I admit to being slightly tentative, considering the way he broke another of the swords from my family's shrine in the fight against Kuromomotaro in the Dark Tournament semi-finals, but I brought it, and he's wearing it on his belt today as well as his usual sword. I'm curious to see if his sword work has improved since I last saw it."

"You mean you _hope_ it has," Koto said. "You want that sword back in one piece I think," she added, then turned to view the screen. "Well, for two combatants, they sure are doing a lot of talking. Can we turn up the audio on their fight?"

"I'm amazed that the boy I gave a jagan eye to a little over three years ago is already so strong. You were weaker than a babe after the surgery. How went your searches?" Shigure asked.

"I have found what I was looking for," Hiei answered.

"I trust you did not break the price I gave you, if you have found your sister, you are not allowed to reveal your relation to her," Shigure said. "I always liked those ironic twists to such stories," he added with a cruel smirk.

Hiei returned the smirk however. "She figured it out for herself not long after we met," Hiei said. "I would say that rather trumps your price."

Shigure blinked. "It would, yes. I admit that I had not considered that possibility."

"So are we going to fight, or not?"

"Indeed."

Hiei laid his hand over the hilt of one of the swords at his waist. The handle crackled ever-so-slightly, but it looked like an old, worn out hilt, likely on an old, worn out sword. When he drew it, gasps went up.

"Wow. Can I just say... _wow_!" Koto said, staring. "I don't understand how that blade can even fit into that sheath, but I _love_ it! It's even bigger than Hiei is! How can he lift such a brutal looking weapon? Kagome, is this the sword you were talking about?"

Kagome nodded. "It is. It's a demon sword. It was once the property of the great dog demon of the Western Lands, Inu no Taisho, and was crafted from one of his fangs. His eldest son entrusted it to me quite some time ago, and I have since then sought someone worthy to wield the blade. It's a bit harder that the sword itself is picky about who gets to use it," she added.

"A demon sword?" Yuda asked.

"Yes," Kagome answered. "The Tetsusaiga, able to slay one hundred enemies with a single strike," she giggled. "That is, _if_ you know how to do it."

As they watched, Hiei swept the sword from the side, and power continued beyond the movement, gouging what looked like giant claw marks in its wake.

"That isn't Hiei's energy," Yuda said, as the destructive power continued towards Shigure.

"Is that the attack you were talking about Kagome?" Koto asked.

"It sure looks like it," she answered. "Colour me impressed. I don't think Shigure will be getting up from that one unharmed, if he even gets up at all."

Shigure's weapon was broken and his left arm and leg were bleeding heavily. "I am defeated," he said. "Please kill me. For a warrior to be defeated twice is something unbearable."

Hiei sheathed the Tetsusaiga and withdrew his usual sword.

"It is a waste of your life and your skills to die here today," Hiei informed the surgeon. "But as I am sure you would take your own life should I deny you, then very well."

Cleanly, Hiei removed Shigure's head.

"Which leaves Yusuke's fight against Yomi as far as your old team mates Kagome," Koto said, as the fight was once again displayed on the main screen. "Ooh, that's Yomi's demon energy absorption wall. We saw that in his fight against his son Shura."

"Yusuke will be unable to hit him as long as Yomi keeps that defence up," Yuda commented. "All Yomi need do is wait for Yusuke to exhaust himself."

"But will the _demon_ energy absorption wall stop Yuske's _spirit_ energy? He's only half demon after all, and still has access to the energies he had as a human," Kagome pointed out. "They can't hear us can they Koto?"

"No, just the girls on the camera things," Koto answered. "Wouldn't want observation to give way to inspiration."

"Agreed," Yuda and Kagome said at the same time, turning back to the screen.

"I do believe that Urameshi has just figured out what Kagome was talking about, and – Yes! Yusuke Urameshi has broken through Yomi's defences by using his spirit energy, and then completely breaking it apart by meshing his demon energy _with_ his spirit energy!" Koto exclaimed.

"That's a potent combination in anybody's book," Kagome said. "I wager Yomi's feeling some hurt from that one."

"I have to agree," Koto said. "The pain must be delicious. Having the defences broken must have done more than just hurt Yomi though, as he's charging now and it looks like – yes! A solid one-two punch, which Yusuke returns full force. It's brutal, it's violent, it's _wonderful_!"

"Still think me backing Yusuke in this fight is foolishness Yuda?" Kagome asked the old demon with a cheeky chuckle.

"I confess, I had not expected such an even match between them. Rather, I expected another fight like the one Yomi had with his son Shura," Yuda said, slightly humbled. "Still, I maintain that Yomi will be the victor in this fight."

"Well, whoever wins, it looks like it might come down to this next blow!" Koto yelled as the two fighters began their charge, fists drawn back. When they collided, the whole stadium was still as they watched both stumble slightly. Shura could be heard yelling for his father, and Yomi's footing shifted to hold his weight. Yusuke, on the other hand, fell onto his hands, apparently falling in defeat, until his foot lashed out deliberately, catching Yomi in the stomach and tossing him into the air. Yusuke stood, shaking himself.

Puu flew down to land behind Yusuke, stretching his wings skywards and crying in victory.

"Do we have confirmation on Yomi's state?" Koto asked. "After that surprise move by Yusuke when we all thought he was down, finding Yomi is priority."

Yusuke seemed to agree, as he swung up onto the back of his spirit beast and flew off in the direction he had sent Yomi.

"Is that legal? I mean, catching a ride rather than walking himself?" Koto asked.

Kagome shrugged. "That's Yusuke's spirit beast. It, Puu, is an extension of Yusuke, as well as a reflection of his inner self. I don't see how it can be."

"I hate to say it but I agree," Yuda said. "Mr Urameshi would be perfectly within his rights to use the bird in his fights as well. I think it is very sportsmanlike of him not to."

"Puu's better at transport and defence than fighting," Kagome said. "That's the main reason Yusuke doesn't fight with his bird."

"Yomi has been found! He's down and, by the looks of it, completely out," Koto said. "In a turn out that's going to leave a lot of betters from Gandera very unhappy, Yusuke has defeated Yomi!"

~oOo~

Puu landed Yusuke back at the main stadium, but Yusuke didn't dismount. He seemed to be sleeping on the bird's back.

"I hope he didn't exhaust himself on Yomi," Mukuro said, walking up to the large bird and spotting the young boy in repose on the creature's back. "He's yet to fight me after all."

"You needn't be concerned," Hiei said, walking past her, having checked his friend and now leaving to fetch Kagome or Yukina to tend his injuries. "If there is one thing that is true of Yusuke's sleeping habits, it is that he always wakes up in time for his fight."

"So confident," Mukuro observed.

"He speaks from experience," Raizen assured, approaching himself. "He never makes idle comments. I believe you have a fight with Natsume coming up."

"That is the name of my next opponent, yes," Mukuro agreed.

Raizen smirked. "Then I suggest you go find someone who will wish you luck against her," he said. "If you wish to reach your fight with either Yusuke, or myself."

Mukuro twitched a sardonic smile, planting her hands on her hips.

"By the way, I appreciated the flowers you sent, even if I wasn't actually dead," Raizen said. "They were very nice."

Mukuro froze up, then scowled slightly before leaving.

"Oh my," Yukina's voice sounded. Hiei had returned with one of the healers of their group. "It looks like Yusuke got a rather a beating. Can someone help me up there so I can look at him?"

Puu stretched his neck out and gently lifted the ice apparition by the back of her kimono before he lowered her again beside Yusuke.

"Well, you're fine Puu," Yukina said happily. "I guess that's a good sign. Yusuke's already started healing, but some extra help isn't going to hurt."

"Puu," the bird agreed.

~oOo~

"There were times I wondered if we would ever reach this point, and there were times when I hoped we never would, but here we are! The quarter finals of the Demon World Tournament!" Koto declared.

"For those demons among you who missed your basic math classes, that means we only have eight fighters left in this competition," Kagome clarified. "From Group A, Hiei and Yusuke. From Group B, Mukuro and Shippo. From Group C, Kurama and Enki. And from Group D, Raizen and Koku."

"These promise to be some interesting fights," Koto said. "We know that Hiei and Yusuke were team mates during the Dark Tournament, and I believe that they have been sparring partners since then as well."

"Those two love fighting each other. They aren't the only _interesting_ match up though," Kagome said. "Koku, though married to Enki now, apparently used to date Raizen."

"Ooh, that could really get messy," Koto said eagerly. "But I'm also really curious about this demon that Muroku will be fighting. Until this Tournament, he was completely unknown. I mean, Enki and Koku are old friends with Raizen, and old sparring buddies at that – as well as this interesting development about Koku and Raizen having once been involved – and Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama are all champions from the Dark Tournament. But just who is this Shippo? Do you know Master Yuda?"

"I confess to having never heard of him, but for several months he masqueraded as Kurama in Yomi's council, convincing everybody. He had even somehow manipulated his energy signature so that it was the same. Such a master of disguise, it is possible his name is not even Shippo," Yuda offered. "He is able even to change his scent through the manipulation of his energy. I have never had the chance to get a reading of his energy levels, and it is possible that he is able to alter even that. This Shippo is a complete unknown to me, except that he is very smart, and due to the high accuracy of his masquerade as Kurama for several months, I can only suppose he is familiar with the Yoko."

"This is a good point. Many demons have dropped all pretences during their fights so that the energy they directed towards keeping up appearances can be used for attacks – like that wolf demon in the second round who we all found out was a lot hairier than he let on when he took his four-legged form so that he had more energy at his disposal," Koto said. "But at no point has Shippo's completely human appearance dropped. Even Kurama has allowed himself to flicker between his human and his demon forms throughout the Tournament."

"Shippo has changed his appearance a couple of times during the fights though," Kagome pointed out, not giving away that she knew him. "If you recall the fights he had against Saizou and Tetsuzan, Shippo transformed into a perfect mirror image of each of them for about half the fight before changing his appearance to look like Raizen."

"This is true, and makes me wonder how he could have the energy to waste on illusions when he had people to fight!" Koto demanded. "I am _so_ getting him in for an interview after his next fight, provided of course that Mukuro lets him live through it."

"I don't think there is any danger of Shippo dying in his fight," Yuda said. "Much as I would not like to believe it, for many of Mukuro's fights in the later rounds she has gotten through almost by the skin of her teeth, so to say. A very small margin and a great deal of luck, I believe, has seen her through so far."

"What makes you say that Yuda?" Koto asked.

"Shippo has yet to truly reveal himself, and I was talking with Kirin, one of Mukuro's old generals the other day. Mukuro's powers are linked very closely to her emotions, particularly those of pain and hatred. It seems to me that Mukuro has been smiling too much in this Tournament for those feelings, and therefore her powers, to be at the peak we are so used to from her. Do not misunderstand me though, she is no slouch by any means, and still a very intimidating opponent to anybody below A class," Yuda answered.

"She's having too much fun to win?" Koto asked.

"That's what it sounded like to me as well," Kagome admitted.

"I never knew that enjoying your fight could be a weakness,"Koto said. "Well, either way, it's now time for the quarter finals for the first ever Demon World Tournament to _begin_!"

~oOo~


	26. Chapter 26

Yusuke loaded a burned out Hiei onto Puu's back. As in their first fight, Hiei had taken on his true form – the one with green skin that was covered in creepy eyes. Yusuke's Mazoku markings had surfaced as well. It was a serious fight, and they played for keeps. Hiei used his dragon, and Yusuke threw out one of his largest spirit-bullets to date. Yusuke had only just won the fight, but he was the one still standing.

"Three for three, Hiei," he told his friend. "Just like I said back on day one."

As they took off, Koto had this to say: "Well, they've burned their skin, shortened their breath, and somehow lost their shirts. Altogether I'd call it a successful fight."

"And the women all said 'amen'," Kagome joked.

"In other news, the fight between Raizen and Koku is starting. Whoever wins this fight is the one who Yusuke will be up against in the semi-finals. Could we have another father-son fight as we did with Yomi and Shura? Or will Koku upset the betting pools and topple Raizen? They do have a history together and hell has _no_ fury like a demoness scorned," Koto said, gearing up for the next fight.

Since the numbers had been so cut down from the first round, the fights didn't have to be held simultaneously any more, and everyone wanted to watch how these fights went. So everything was sequential now.

"Master Yuda? Where's your money for this fight?" Koto asked.

"Raizen was a king. Koku may have been an old flame, but she clearly was unable to kill him when he first slighted her. If this Tournament has proven anything, then it has proven that the centuries of going without food have not left Raizen as weak as we had all been led to believe," Yuda answered.

"Can't argue with that," Koto said. "Still, as something of a feminist, I still really enjoy watching the girls kicking butt. Kagome, what do you think?"

"I think we are going to witness a display of power the likes of which has not been seen in any of the three worlds for a thousand years," Kagome said solemnly. "I also think that Koku may bitch-slap Raizen before they actually get properly started with this fight."

Kagome's second thought was proven right almost immediately, and it was a vicious slap indeed, though Raizen accepted it stoically.

"Feel better?" he asked, looking at her.

"Yes. Now are we going to do this?"

The fight was long, and in Koto's words, perfectly brutal, before eventually Raizen defeated Koku, just as many had expected.

The next fight was between Kurama and Enki.

"And it's the red-head verses the red troll! Enki has been making very solid and decisive wins up to this point, and though Kurama always seems to take a little time at the beginning of every fight to play with his opponent, he has also been making very clear victories," Koto announced. "I can't help but wonder how this will turn out! Kagome, you know Kurama's fighting style as someone from his team, what insights can you give us about the fight ahead?"

"Kurama is a logical fighter. He waits for his opponent to show their weaknesses before he makes his move. Enki's a hard and experienced fighter though, so I'd be surprised if he revealed any weaknesses so easily," Kagome answered.

"Kurama has been toying with his competition for shorter periods of time as the Tournament has progressed though," Yuda pointed out. "Is it possible he is becoming more rash?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't think so," she answered. "It's my belief that Kurama has spent his time when not fighting watching the fights of those who he would face, so he knows about their techniques and styles going into the fight already. I know he spent a fair portion of yesterday going over the recordings of Enki's previous battles."

"The fight is about to begin folks, all the bookies are no longer taking bets for this one! Dare we hope for something truly horrific?" Koto begged, on the edge of her seat.

Enki smiled at Kurama. "Let's have a good fight."

"I agree," Kurama answered.

That was all the warning anybody had before Enki charged. Kurama immediately reacted by manipulating the grass under their feet to shoot up and wrap around Enki, trapping him so thoroughly that only his face was visible. The large demon found himself unable to move, and laughed when he realised it.

"After all that, beaten by plants," he said, shaking his head at himself. "Alright, I know when I'm beaten. You're a smart fighter Mr Kurama. I'm afraid I have to concede this fight."

Koto stared. "In possibly the shortest fight of the Tournament, we have just witnessed Kurama completely trapping Enki in a prison of _grass_! From such a position, it would be easy for Kurama to hack off a limb, head or even gut Enki, but Enki has instead recognised his defeat and surrendered the match," Koto said, stunned completely. "I never knew _grass_ could be so dangerous!"

~oOo~

Shippo stood across from Mukuro. He had made it to the quarter finals, and now he was facing one of the most powerful demons in Demon World. If he had met Mukuro when he was younger, and she still wore her mask of bandages, he would probably have been intimidated. He wasn't now though. He had been passed over for too long. He wanted a little recognition for himself.

"You're quite the surprise," Mukuro said. "No one had ever heard of you before, and yet here you stand, so close to the end of the Tournament, and there are questions flying about if Shippo is even your real name."

"As opposed to your move at the beginning of the Tournament to reveal your true self from the get-go," Shippo answered with a smirk. "Well, _some_ of your true self," he amended. A small puff of smoke surrounded him, and a very different figure appeared where Shippo had stood. "Of course, you're not telling _nearly_ everything," the new figure said.

Mukuro's visible eye grew wide.

The original form of Shippo stepped out from behind the new figure. "He's an illusion," Shippo said, and with a wave of his hand, a sword appeared at his feet. "So is this," he said, bending to pick it up. "But my illusions are of a superior quality. You can hold this sword and use it to cut up the illusion I have created, just for you," Shippo said gently. "On the other hand, perhaps I will just -" he stabbed the sword he had made into the man Mukuro was unable to tear her gaze from, then twisted the blade and drew it upwards, cleaving him in two from his navel up through his skull. "See how well I craft my illusions?" Shippo asked. "The way his blood drips, and his bowels stink, it's very real. I can create another for you if you want."

Mukuro ignored Shippo and was gone in a flash, reappearing beside the destroyed figure that still lay there. With her fists she began to beat it, her teeth clenched, sometimes she would scream in rage.

Shippo let this go on for a few minutes, just watching her before he shook his head and, for all appearances, took pity on her. He dispersed the illusion and lay a hand on Mukuro's shoulder, as though to comfort.

"He can never hurt you again Mukuro," Shippo whispered kindly. "You are free of him. Look, even the shackles that bound you are gone," he said, laying a gentle hand over one of her bare wrists, drawing her attention to something that Kurama had done months ago.

Koto, watching the big screen from the stadium wanted to know what was going on.

"Okay, so Shippo created an illusion, which he then sliced in half, and now they're just talking! What kind of battle is this!" she demanded.

"A psychological one," Kagome answered. "It's not as bloody as the battles you're used to Koto, but the pain is just as real."

"Ugh! This sort of fight _isn't_ in the Tournament outline. I want punches, slices, stabbings, eviscerations, amputations, decapitations, fighters turned into a broken and bloody pulp! So far only two of the quarter final fights seems to be delivering," Koto pouted into her microphone.

"Don't make the mistake that this fight won't get brutal Koto," Kagome corrected. "Shippo has inflicted a lot of pain on Mukuro without actually exerting much, if any, energy. Mukuro has yet to retaliate."

Just as Kagome spoke, Mukuro's energy became visible around her, rising in curling waves off her form like steam off of a hot body in the rain – though it was a perfectly sunny day, and her energy was clearly glowing the same orange as her hair. The woman stood and turned to Shippo, and the camera was able to catch her face. Of all things, she was crying.

"Thank you," she said.

Shippo smiled gently. "I hope you're ready to fight now," he told her.

Mukuro wiped her face quickly and nodded before taking her stance.

Shippo transformed again, this time so that he looked like Hiei, and he drew a sword from his side.

"You _did_ want to fight me, didn't you?" Shippo asked, but it was Hiei's voice. "That's why you sent me your message those months ago."

Mukuro frowned, charging. "Can you fight like him as well as look like him?" she demanded, throwing a punch.

Shippo dodged and smirked, swinging his sword as he had seen Hiei do countless times in their training in Kagome's back yard. "You can even check my energy if you like," Shippo offered in Hiei's dry, vaguely arrogant, teasing drawl.

Mukuro paused momentarily in both her attack and defence to look at the shape of her opponent's energy, gasping when she saw that it was identical to the pattern of Hiei's energy when she had met him in the halls of the stadium.

"If you can do all that, I wonder if you can summon Hiei's famous dragon as well," Mukuro said, lashing out a kick. "Somehow I doubt it."

"Hn," Shippo said, gritting his teeth slightly as his smirk grew. He jumped back, and without nearly so much ceremony as Hiei did when he summoned the dragon, sent a great maw of flames out at Mukuro, looking rather reptilian as it streaked through the air towards her. "You wanted fire?"

Mukuro paled slightly and dodged quickly, but the dark flames followed her.

"I don't believe this people! Not only has Shippo transformed himself to look like Hiei, but he seems to be able to replicate even his most energy-draining and destructive attacks!" Koto yelled. "I don't know where he got the power, or how he's doing it, but that looks like a rampaging dragon of the darkness flame to me!"

"You're forgetting Koto," Yuda said softly. "We know that Shippo is a master of illusions. It is entirely possible that this dragon we are witnessing is merely another of his tricks."

"Except that it's destroying everything in its wake as it chases after Mukuro," Koto pointed out.

Yuda shifted. "It could be a _highly_ elaborate illusion," he defended.

"Well, regardless of what it is or how Shippo is doing it, Mukuro is forced to flee before the fiery creature or risk finding out if it's as real as it looks," Koto said.

Mukuro dodged the dragon again, landing behind Shippo, hoping that the flames would eat her opponent before herself and be satisfied. Instead it went around him, spreading out its body of black flames in a circle around Mukuro with Shippo blocking the only way out.

He turned to face her, his sword drawn and levelled at her throat.

"Now, Yusuke said at the beginning of all this that he'd really rather we didn't all kill each other, so that he would have the chance to fight us all again another day," Shippo said, letting the illusion of Hiei fall away, leaving no body behind at all, though the sword remained pointed at her throat, and the black dragon now encircled her and was spiralling around until she was within a dome of the dark fire, though a distance away from them all so that none of the flames touched her. "So what will you do now Mukuro?" Shippo's voice asked, though he was nowhere to be seen.

"Perhaps I will test if the sword and the dragon are illusions or not," she said, stepping forward slightly. The blade pressed into her skin, and blood was drawn. "That's sharp," Mukuro admitted, stepping back from the blade and putting her hand to her throat to cover the wound. Looking behind her, she stepped back again and felt the heat of the licking black flames against her whole body. "And that is hot," she granted, then sighed. "It was a good fight Shippo, and you have outsmarted me."

"Due to Mukuro being completely trapped inside that rather terrifying dome of black flames, and apparently unable to make any bid for freedom, the win of this fight goes to the surprising Shippo!" Koto said, blinking at the screen. "Though, just where he got to, I honestly don't know!"

Shippo held the black flames in place for a few minutes, waiting for the fight to be officially called in his favour. When it was, he sent it racing off to apparently devour a rock and disappear. The sword that had been pointed at Mukuro's neck gave a pop, and Shippo did a small flip as he returned to his own form.

"You trapped yourself inside as well?" Mukuro asked, shocked.

"Wouldn't have been able to hear your quiet voice over the crackle of flames if I wasn't in there too," Shippo pointed out with a grin, showing some of Mukuo's blood on his teeth.

"How did you summon the dragon of the darkness flame?" she questioned. "You don't seem the type to use such dangerous techniques."

Shippo grinned broadly. "Now now, can't be telling my secrets before the last fight, now can I?"

~oOo~

Kagome was waiting for Kurama and Shippo when they returned to the stadium, hands on her hips and a frown on her face.

"Kagome?" Kurama asked softly, worried about what could have her looking so sternly at them.

"You have to fight each other next," she stated. "And did it ever occur to you about what you're going to do in the event that you win this? Or what it would do to me to see my fiancé and my son fighting each other?"

Kurama and Shippo both rushed to hug the most precious woman in their lives tightly between them.

"Of course we've thought about it Kaa-san," Shippo said. "Don't worry, even if we win, we'll be home in a few years when the next Tournament comes. Though honestly, Raizen is the one most likely to win."

"And we were just discussing our fight when we saw you," Kurama added. "I thought it might be interesting to see how we go fighting in our fully fox forms, the way that foxes fight."

"You mean teeth and claws until one of you is limping away with bits of your fur torn out?" Kagome asked with a demanding accusation in her voice. She sighed reluctantly. "I suppose that _would_ be best though," she conceded. "You know, there's a bit of speculation about what kind of demon Shippo really is, because he's used so many illusions throughout the Tournament. Which reminds me, Koto wants to interview you," Kagome informed her son.

Shippo's face turned red. "Koto?" he asked quietly.

Kagome's eyes sparkled with mischief. "My son has a crush!" she teased. "Yes, Koto. You know the one. The fox-girl who loves watching the fights so much that she got the job as mistress of ceremonies. So get over to that commentary box!" Kagome urged, giving Shippo a push in that direction.

"Ah, young love," Kurama observed with a falsely dramatic sigh, slipping his arm around Kagome as he watched the younger fox go. Shifting his gaze to Kagome, he smiled. "And on that subject," he added, leaning in and kissing her cheek softly, then trailing his nose up the side of her face until he reached her ear, which he nibbled on fondly.

Kagome giggled at the treatment, but didn't object. "You're such a flirt. What would your fangirls think if they could see you now?"

"If they could see me now then I imagine some of them would have passed out from the very idea that I am not just the perfect student they all watch and drool over, and those who managed to remain conscious would be plotting your demise," Kurama answered. "Not that they would succeed of course."

"Of course," Kagome agreed with a chuckle.

~oOo~


	27. Chapter 27

Raizen laughed as he stepped into the arena where Yusuke was waiting for him.

"It's a bit different to when you first fought me, isn't it son?" Raizen asked. "But I can still offer you the same stakes. You win, you get my life, and my throne."

Yusuke snorted. "Don't think you're gettin' out of it _that_ easy old man," Yusuke said. "Like I'd know what to do with a throne. An' the fans want something bloody, so you'd better string this one out a bit," he added. "I know by now when I'm facing someone too strong for me. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't give it a damn good try."

Raizen smiled, proud. "That's my boy."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know what to say," Koto admitted over the speakers. "Yusuke Urameshi, after having made a very clean sweep through the Demon World Tournament so far, has just said he does not expect to win this fight! Those of you who were betting on him to win, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that the fight is _not_ fixed in any way, but this _is_ a father-son face off, and we saw how that went between Shura and Yomi already. Though Yusuke is a lot older than Shura, and as such has much more fighting experience, as proven already by his progress. Well, they intend to fight, and Yusuke may surprise even himself yet. Regardless, we have been promised blood, so throw on your swim suits everyone, and let the bloodbath begin!"

After that, Koto's commentary was pretty much redundant. Raizen kept up his own critique of his son's fighting as they did battle. Sometimes he would compliment a hit, or some crazy idea, or laugh and accuse the boy of stealing a move from one of his earlier opponents. Koto still got to admire Raizen's occasional strike though, particularly since his few hits did more damage than five of Yusuke's most of the time.

"You know what Pops?" Yusuke said as he held himself up on his knees. "You'll be fighting Kurama or Shippo next, and I know someone who would _not_ take kindly to their being damaged."

Raizen laughed. "Wouldn't want her upset with me, not after she saved my life."

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed. "So how about you get your big show done now? I think I can take it."

Raizen grinned and flared his power without thought, then he flexed, and Yusuke was pushed into the ground from the force of it. He kept that up for a while, just increasing the power of his display, and walked over to where Yusuke was being forced into the ground by the power of it all, lifting him up by the collar of his shirt. Grinning in a way that could almost be described as evil, Raizen took Yusuke in a headlock and messed the kid's hair.

"What the hell is that!" Koto demanded. "We've had such a fantastically brutal, bloody, action-filled fight, and now we get _this_!"

"Koto, that's every good father's ultimate finishing move when they've just defeated their favourite son," Kagome explained with a laugh. "The embarrassing noogie."

Koto blinked. "Are you sure about that?" she asked, clearly doubtful.

"Oh yes," Kagome said, trying to be solemn. "It's a killer. Pride is the usual victim. Yusuke won't be getting up again after this, he's exhausted and Raizen has only just broken a sweat – which is more than anybody else has brought from him so far. Getting a noogie on top of it all just ruins Yusuke's 'tough and cool' look for a while."

"And so the fight goes to Raizen!" Koto declared.

~oOo~

"Alright folks, it's the second match of the semi-finals, and for those of you who missed it, Shippo revealed in his interview with me yesterday that he is a fox demon, which means that we'll get to see two foxy males facing off. Oh, I don't know which one I drool for more – the hunks or their blood!" Koto cried.

"Kurama is taken," Kagome stated flatly.

"Right, their blood it is!" Koto yelled. "Now I have it on authority that these two met before the match and agreed to a traditional fox-fight, so we'll be getting to see both Kurama and Shippo at their most animalistic. As a vixen myself, I'm very interested to see this fight, but for those of you who aren't into animals the same way, I'm sure they'll be vicious enough to slate at least a little of your blood lust."

The screen lit up with an image of Shippo and Kurama walking towards the central arena and each other.

Kurama changed his form to the one recognised by the masses as Yoko as he walked. Shippo's form shifted to the one he had revealed on the camping trip in Human world so long ago – fox paws, elf-like ears, fur vest and long blonde tail to contrast his long brown hair. They both had grim, serious faces.

"Hey Kagome, you're with Kurama right?" Koto asked quietly, hand over her microphone, "do you know anything about Shippo? He said something about having people he cared about in Human World, just like Kurama does."

"Don't kick me for withholding information, but Shippo is my adopted son," Kagome whispered back. "And he thinks you're cute."

Koto blushed deeply, a small smile on her lips.

The two stopped with a couple of metres distance between them, and transformed again into their four-legged states.

"Now here's a surprise for us all folks! The infamous spirit fox, Yoko Kurama – the silver of the two foxes on your screen – known to have lived for a thousand years at least, has only seven tails of the possible nine. Shippo, on the other hand, has less than half that life-span and is a tail up on him! I can't figure that out unless something serious happened to these two," Koto said. "Kagome, Master Yuda, do either of you have an opinion on this?"

"I suspect that Yoko Kurama's lesser number of tails is due to his becoming merged with a human body," Yuda answered. "It is likely he will have had to sacrifice a lot of his power to make that merger work, and in so sacrificing his power, lost one of his tails of power."

"Tails in fox apparitions are a measure of age and power," Kagome said. "When Kurama was reborn as a human it is possible he had to start all over again, building his power up from scratch. If that is the case then he will have acquired all of those seven tails in less than two decades. I think that counts as impressive in anybody's book. On the flip-side, Shippo could be using an illusion to intimidate Kurama, adding tails to his appearance that he does not actually have, or Kurama could be hiding tails so that Shippo will become over-confident. Though I don't believe that to be the case here, as they did make the change at the same time, and have not previously seen their opponent in this form."

"Either way, the traditional displaying of tails and running of shoulders – that means sizing up of your opponent in the world of foxes – is now completed, and the two combatants are ready to do battle. Expect to see a lot of kicking and biting here folks!" Koto declared.

Kurama was surprised to see that Shippo had more tails than him by even one, he didn't realise he had been so surpassed because of his loss of power when merging with the human foetus. What he _did_ know was that he would not be giving this fight away to the cub.

Shippo was a brown fox however, a light golden brown, but a brown fox all the same. As a species of the animal kingdom, they were naturally larger than silvers. Kurama was larger than usual because he wasn't _just_ a fox, but neither was Shippo, so the slight possible advantage was nullified.

This fight between pseudo-father and son, unlike the other similar match ups, would go very differently it seemed. Kurama had spent most of both his lives in his humanoid demon or human forms, only spending a few decades thieving in his pure animal form before he was caught and nearly killed. It appeared that Shippo had spent his last five hundred years switching between his humanoid demon form, and his fully fox form until he had more recently slipped into the human population in readiness for rejoining Kagome's life. It was almost inconceivable, but the younger of the two foxes had the advantage in both size and experience in this form. That didn't mean Kurama would just roll over and give Shippo his neck and belly though.

~oOo~

Yusuke let Kagome borrow Puu to fly up to the okaninju stalk and retrieve her two foxes when their fight was over. Both were injured, bloody, and exhausted, but Shippo had ultimately claimed victory by using his greater weight to subdue Kurama and hold onto the silver fox's neck.

Ears were in tatters, pelts were matted and torn, paws and legs were ripped at, chewed and beginning to clot. The only parts of their bodies that were unharmed were their tails, though the appendages were rather dirty as well from the way they had been rolling around on the ground and in their own blood during the fight.

She picked up Shippo by the scruff of his neck, kissing him on the cheek when he opened his green eyes. That hadn't changed at least. Shippo transformed into his humanoid demon form, his pelt and pants his only clothing, his hind paws still a bit bloody, as were his pelt, neck and chest.

"I won Kagome," he said quietly. "I won an important fight."

Kagome nodded. "Yes you did," she agreed, bending down to pick up Kurama and cradling him against her chest gently – he didn't transform, as he had fallen asleep to begin regaining his energy shortly after admitting his defeat – before turning back to her son. "When we get back down, you are both having a hot bath, and then I'm going to treat your wounds."

Shippo nodded. "You're not mad at me, are you?" he asked, worriedly.

Kagome shook her head with a smile. "My beautiful son grew up to be big and strong," she said softly, stroking Shippo's un-injured but still dirty cheek. "I'm so proud. Kurama will be too when he wakes up, I'm sure."

Shippo smiled, and his eyes became slightly glassy as he filled up with warm joy at such praise.

~oOo~

"I've found her soul," Koenma said, appearing in the suite where Kagome was healing Shippo and Kurama's wounds. "The woman Raizen lay with. I found her. It was a lot harder without a name to work with, but I found her."

"Yeah? And what are you going to do now that you have?" Kagome asked.

Koenma blinked. He hadn't really thought about that, he'd just agreed to look for her in Spirit World for Raizen. Nothing else had really been said.

"I mean really, what are the options? Revival? Reincarnation? Letting her spirit play catch-up with him without actually giving her a body?" Kagome suggested.

"Uh, well, you see..." Koenma said.

"I have a place in Spirit World now," a woman's voice said, stepping through the door to meet the small group. "My name is Atsuiko. I became a reaper after my death, my current area of collection is the Harajuku district of Tokyo."

Kagome stood and bowed politely to the beautiful woman.

"I see you carry and care for my sister," Atsuiko observed with a small smile, her gaze fixed on the jewel at Kagome's neck. "She seems to be at peace now. Thank you."

"You're sister was Midoriko?" Kagome asked, stunned.

Atsuiko nodded sadly. "We were close, but parted ways when we cold not agree on where to draw the line of who deserved aid. Midoriko was convinced that the majority of demons should not be granted any help but into their afterlives, I was more open. I am glad that she is now in such care as your hands," she said, stepping forward to hold Kagome's hands and look into her eyes. Her gratitude shining through that gaze.

"Didn't really have much choice about that," Kagome said with a glance down at the stone before she looked up to Atsuiko again. "But it's an honour to meet you," she added.

Atsuiko smiled. "As for seeing Raizen again, I can be granted a body of my own, but I would be required to continue to work as an agent for Spirit World."

"And you don't think that the new king of Demon World could use a Spirit World advisor or ambassador?" Kurama asked softly. "Surely that would be a legitimate enough reason for Spirit World to grant you a physical form?"

All eyes turned to Koenma, who bent his head and rested his chin in one hand, eyes closed as he thought on that. At last he nodded. "Yes, that probably _is_ a good idea," he agreed. "Considering the two demons in the final fight. Either way establishing positive relationships, rather than negative ones, would be mutually beneficial to both worlds."

~oOo~

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for: the final match of the Demon World Tournament!" Koto declared. "Of the three favourites to win this Tournament, only Raizen still remains, and his opponent, a previously unknown fox demon named Shippo, will have to pull something extraordinary out of his arsenal of tricks if he wants to win this fight!"

Shippo smirked at Raizen and transformed. Into Atsuiko. The fox watched as his opponent's breath caught and he stared.

"How?" Raizen asked hoarsly.

Atsuiko's face smirked slightly. "Not so pathetic I guess," it was her voice too, but then the illusion dropped and Shippo stood there in his humanoid demonic form – his best for fighting in, and one which required no energy to maintain the appearance of. His thin fox legs appeared out the bottom of his pants, and his pelt was worn like a vest over his torso, tied at the waist so that it didn't flap around too much. Behind him, his tail twitched, and his ears were pointed like Raizen's. The fox smirked, showing off his fangs.

They charged each other.

"Rocket spectacular! What a clash!" Koto said, off her seat in eagerness already. "Shippo and Raizen each launched powerful point-blank attacks, and have been thrown back by the extreme force! At a punch party like this, a girl can't help but dance! Of course we have come to expect a great deal from both contestants, and it looks like we won't disappointed as both of them appear to have landed on their feet and are charging again!"

Not only were they charging, but Shippo's hands appeared to be gathering balls of blue flames, which he threw at Raizen when there was still twelve metres between them.

"Wow! An impressive long-range attack by Shippo, engulfing Raizen in flames, and yet he continues to charge on, even as his clothing burns on him! Now _that's_ what I call dedication to your follow-through!" Koto declared.

Raizen's fist connected with Shippo's stomach before swinging up and sending the fox high into the air. Raizen, now only smoking slightly, jumped up to follow him, locking his hands together in a double fist and smashing down on his opponent's back, sending him hurtling back into the okaninju stalk. Through the okaninju stalk and into the ground below.

"Oh the brutality!" Koto cried out. "If Shippo lives through this fight, then he'll _definitely_ be feeling _that_ one in the morning!"

A tiny white flag appeared above the crater where Shippo was lying, his hand holding it up, waving it a moment before the hand fell limp.

"Ladies and freaks, we _have our king_!"

~oOo~

Raizen saw them off to Human World personally. They had license from him as their king to live in Human World provided that they did so peacefully, would return to Demon World if he summoned them, and acted as guards to keep an eye on any and all demon activity in Human world. Each one of them was a strong fighter after all; he couldn't really just _let_ them walk away without putting them to use at the same time.

Genkai and Keiko were waiting for them.

"Keiko, this is Raizen," Yusuke said, introducing his girl to Raizen. "Old man, this here is my Keiko."

Raizen looked down at the girl and smiled gently. "I see that my boy is in good hands," he said.

"It's an honour to meet you," Keiko answered, blushing slightly as she bowed politely.

"I hope you don't mind if I borrow him back now and then, I've grown to like spending time with my son," Raizen said.

Keiko blinked. "Of course not," she answered. "Just, not for years on end if you can manage it, please," she added, then shook her head. "Yusuke needs an older male influence he can actually look up to and respect like a father."

"Hiei, Shippo and I are apparently not old enough to fill the position," Kurama said with a light chuckle.

"Nah, you don't _look_ old enough," Yusuke quipped. "See ya round old man," he said, waving as he turned, wrapping an arm around Keiko's waist and leading her away.

"King Raizen, this is Master Genkai," Yukina introduced. "She has been allowing me to live with her at her temple, and been very kind to me."

"The famous Genkai," Raizen greeted with a bow, then chuckled when he straightened up. "You know, Yusuke would frequently complain that my subordinates were being too soft on him, and that he should send them to you so that they could find out what it was like to receive a real beating. Not in so many words of course. I doubt he will ever be eloquent."

Genkai laughed. "That's my dimwit," she answered. "But at least he isn't as much of a slacker any more."

"Thank you for watching over him," Raizen said genuinely.

"He grows on you, so it's not too much of a chore," Genkai said, brushing if off with a shrug.

"All the same, I am grateful."

Raizen left back to Demon World not long after that.

~The End~


	28. Chapter 28

~Omake/Epilogue~

Slowly, the Three Worlds began to change. Koenma replaced his father on the throne of Spirit World and, after many negotiations with Raizen, had the Kekai taken down. Demons began to do business with humans, buying the many various ingredients to the new diet instituted by Raizen for all those demons who had a preference to human flesh. Food of the Human World quickly became the favourite interest of nearly all demons, though thanks to a small group of demons and one miko, humans stayed off the menu. Of course, food wasn't the only interest that the demons had in Human World; a number of them were interested in more trivial things like fashion, raising families, and enjoying being considerably richer than their neighbours thanks to an easier access to many precious stones and minerals.

The true turning point of Human-Demon World relations didn't come until shortly after the second Demon World Tournament – which Raizen had again won, though Shippo, Hiei and Yusuke had all done their best to slow him down along the way, as had their friends from the Dark Tournament, Mukuro, Yomi and all of Raizen's old friends. Chu had surprisingly come close to almost knocking Raizen out with a good bash to the skull, but Yusuke had gotten his hard head from his old man, and Chu was downed by his own attack – though Raizen was made quite dizzy by it for a few minutes.

The worlds-altering event? The first demon-human marriage was taking place in Tokyo. Shuichi Yoko Kurama Minamino was to wed Kagome Higurashi.

Kurama, who had forgone participation in the second Demon World Tournament, had finally told his mother the truth about his nature shortly after getting his degree, and shortly after that, the preparations for his wedding to Kagome had begun.

Half the city was either involved in the preparations or invited. The other half were the fangirls and fanboys who Kagome had set up a barrier against so that the bridal party would be able to enjoy the ceremony without fear of being attacked by crazed humans.

The ceremony was a mesh of a traditional Japanese ceremony, a modern Western wedding, and a few traditions specific to foxes. Hiei was Kurama's best man, and Shippo held the rings in readiness. Kikyo may have chosen InuYasha, and gone to Hell with him despite having never married or mated, but Kagome knew that this was a much better arrangement. Yukina and Koto were her bride's maids, and she was given away by her mother and Souta.

Koenma and Raizen both were conducting the ceremony with Kagome's grandfather, so that their union would be recognised in all of the Three Worlds and last through however many lifetimes they saw. There was some speculation about the two rulers making the time for a wedding in their busy schedules, but they had simply answered that even for the busy, time was needed now and then to watch joy being spread.

If Koenma danced with Botan throughout the reception, and Raizen held Atsuiko a little closer than usual, no one commented. The bouquet was tossed, and Shizuru used her height to advantage and grabbed it out of the air before any of the other girls had a chance to reach it. Flowers in hand she marched straight up to Sakyo and moved his beads aside – though she didn't remove them – so that she could stick of of the roses into his button hole.

"I would be honoured, Shizuru," he said quietly, smiling at her.

She smiled and nodded at him.

Keiko pouted a little that Shizuru had caught the bouquet just above her, but Yusuke quickly cheered her up by saying that, whether she caught the bouquet or not, or even if she caught Shizuru's bouquet or not if she really did marry Sakyo that soon, he would be honoured to marry her as soon as she graduated. No one saw them at all after that, though Hiei smirked and whispered to his sister when she asked that Yusuke would probably have to be married to Keiko within the year if he didn't calm himself down. Yukina had laughed joyfully, very pleased to hear it.

"Kagome," Shippo called through the crowd as he tried to get closer to his mother, finally giving up on being polite and just jumped over everybody to land next to her.

"Yes Shippo?" Kagome asked, smiling broadly at her son.

"There are a couple of fox mating traditions that you can only do when you're alone with your mate," Shippo said quietly, "and if you wait too long then the bond won't form properly."

Kagome smiled and patter Shippo on the head. He was taller than her, but that didn't stop her.

"Don't worry Shippo," Kurama said with a smile, having caught his son's words. "I haven't forgotten. Milady," he added, turning a radiant smile on his wife, "will you join me in escaping the throng, and leave with me now for our honeymoon?"

Kagome laughed and nodded, letting Kurama lead her through the masses to the car, leaving all their friends to finish devouring the food that had been laid out for the reception. Everything from black pudding to ice cream to rice balls and back again, and various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well of course.

It took them only ten minutes to reach the hotel they had chosen for their first night together, and another two minutes to reach their honeymoon suite. Once Kurama had carried Kagome across the threshold and kicked the door closed behind him, he didn't put her down until they reached the lavish bathroom, where he transformed into his 'Yoko' form.

"I finally get to wash your tail," Kagome observed, a slightly cheeky smile on her lips.

Kurama smiled. "Yes, you do," he answered. "And while you do that, I'll explain the last few things we need to do so that our mating is complete," he added, grabbing her still clothed pelvis and drawing them to meet his, likewise still covered hips.

She blushed but didn't look away. "Oh, I'm sure I'll get the idea fairly quickly," she purred, a smile on her face as she raised herself on tip-toe to bring herself closer to Kurama's lips.

Obligingly, he lowered his head the rest of the way and kissed her, determined that he would have her pregnant with his kits by morning. He whispered this into her ear when he broke the kiss, and she only shivered in anticipation.

"Make me yours, Kurama," she whispered back, dexterously turning on the taps for their bath with one of her feet while one hand tangled through his hair and the other stroked his luscious tail.

"Gladly."

~The End~


End file.
